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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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468
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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. stand — to bear
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. date — the fruit
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. fine — all right
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. stand — for spectators

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