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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. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. stock — goods
  8. rule — government
  9. field — farmland
  10. mate — to breed
  11. stand — to bear
  12. mate — a partner
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. rule — a law
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. field — a subject
  17. mate — a friend
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. field — for sport
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. pass — a permit
  23. stock — shares
  24. stand — on your feet

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