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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  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. nail — on a finger
  4. suit — clothes
  5. face — to confront
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. stand — to bear
  9. suit — in cards
  10. suit — to fit
  11. face — part of the head
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. rest — what's left
  15. face — to point toward
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. rest — what's left
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. rest — a break
  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