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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 120 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 train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. press — to push
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. press — newspapers
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. stand — to bear
  11. swing — music
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. track — a path
  16. ball — a great time
  17. swing — in golf
  18. track — to keep track
  19. swing — to play on
  20. ball — a dance
  21. track — a song
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. press — a publisher
  24. trunk — of a car

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