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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 120 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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. stand — to bear
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. present — a gift
  8. pop — soda
  9. ball — a dance
  10. pop — to visit
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. present — there
  13. ball — a great time
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. fall — to drop
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. fall — to drop
  19. present — the time now
  20. kid — child
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. fall — the season
  23. kid — to tease
  24. pop — music

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