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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. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  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. calf — a young animal
  2. stand — to bear
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. drill — army training
  8. bulb — for light
  9. last — final
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. last — to go on
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. drill — the tool
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. last — finally
  18. bulb — for light
  19. drill — a practice
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. kick — in football
  23. calf — of the leg
  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