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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  17. The water is too ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. cold — the Cold War
  4. firm — decided
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. object — to protest
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. date — the fruit
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. object — a thing
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. stand — to bear
  16. cold — an illness
  17. cold — not warm
  18. firm — steady
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. pound — a weight
  22. firm — a company
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. object — an aim

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