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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. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. season — of the year
  10. fall — the season
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. fall — to drop
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. date — the fruit
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. fall — to drop
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. stand — to bear
  21. season — in sport
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. date — on the calendar

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