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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. stand — to bear
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. squash — the sport
  5. mate — a friend
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. hand — help
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. chair — a leader
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. mate — a partner
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. season — of the year
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. mate — to breed
  17. squash — to crush
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. hand — in cards
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. season — in sport
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. bay — a horse colour

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