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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 protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. wake — a trail
  4. firm — a company
  5. degree — temperature
  6. degree — from a university
  7. pitch — completely
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. degree — an amount
  13. stand — to bear
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. suit — to fit
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. suit — in cards
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. firm — decided
  22. firm — steady
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. suit — clothes

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