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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 can't ________________ this cold.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. present — there
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. stem — to come from
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. pit — a hole
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. present — a gift
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. pit — in a race
  18. present — the time now
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. lie — to recline
  23. rock — music
  24. rock — a stone

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