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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 little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. bear — the animal
  6. hand — help
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. season — of the year
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. stand — to bear
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. season — in sport
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. mark — a trace
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. mark — a grade
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. hand — in cards
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. calf — a young animal

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