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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 116 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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. stand — to bear
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. bass — low music
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. row — to paddle
  12. hand — help
  13. hand — in cards
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. perch — the fish
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. row — a line
  20. bass — the fish
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. pass — a permit
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. kick — in football

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