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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'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. mark — a grade
  8. cue — a signal
  9. prune — to trim
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. degree — from a university
  12. lie — to recline
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. mark — a trace
  15. prune — to trim
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. degree — an amount
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. cue — for pool
  22. stand — to bear
  23. degree — temperature
  24. safe — out of danger

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