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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. rock — music
  4. stand — to bear
  5. wake — a trail
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. can — to be able to
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. bat — the animal
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. rock — a stone
  15. deal — to handle
  16. can — a tin
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. can — a tin
  24. deal — a big deal

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