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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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. pit — a hole
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. pit — in a race
  8. ground — crushed
  9. stand — to bear
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. ground — the earth
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. ground — a position
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. snap — to click
  24. stand — for spectators

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