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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. degree — from a university
  6. degree — an amount
  7. firm — decided
  8. rock — a stone
  9. rash — hasty
  10. fall — to drop
  11. firm — steady
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. fall — to drop
  15. rash — a series
  16. fall — the season
  17. stand — to bear
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. perch — the fish
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. firm — a company
  23. rock — music
  24. degree — temperature

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