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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 giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. suit — clothes
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bear — the animal
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. suit — to fit
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. sharp — clever
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. stand — to bear
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. wake — a trail
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. suit — in cards

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