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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. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. ground — crushed
  4. bound — tied together
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. pass — a permit
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. bound — obliged
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. ground — a position
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. roll — a list
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. ground — the earth
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. stand — to bear
  22. stem — to come from
  23. bound — certain
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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