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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. march — the month
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. lean — thin
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. mark — a trace
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. mug — to rob
  11. cap — of ice
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. mug — a face
  14. cap — a hat
  15. pitch — completely
  16. march — music
  17. march — the month
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. mark — a grade
  20. cap — a lid
  21. mug — a cup
  22. stand — to bear
  23. lean — to bend
  24. calf — a young animal

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