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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. craft — a skill
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. stand — to bear
  10. pit — a hole
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. craft — boats
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. pit — in a race
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. wind — moving air
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. pound — a weight
  24. wind — moving air

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