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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. pound — a weight
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. band — a music group
  10. lean — to bend
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. lean — thin
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. stand — to bear
  21. band — a ring
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. jam — a tight spot

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com