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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. content — the amount
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. content — happy
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. object — a thing
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. charge — in control
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. charge — a price
  14. fine — all right
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. object — an aim
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. charge — electricity
  20. object — to protest
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. mine — for digging
  24. fine — high quality

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