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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 120 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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. mate — a friend
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. ground — a position
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. craft — boats
  8. stand — to bear
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. ground — the earth
  11. prune — to trim
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. content — happy
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. ground — crushed
  16. mate — to breed
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. prune — to trim
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. craft — a skill
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. content — the amount
  23. mate — a partner
  24. prune — the fruit

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