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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. clip — a video
  6. pass — a permit
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. clip — to cut
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. clip — for paper
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. roll — a cake
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. dip — to sink
  20. lie — to recline
  21. stand — to bear
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. roll — a list

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