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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. staff — employees
  3. drill — the tool
  4. pit — in a race
  5. staff — a stick
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. staff — employees
  12. pit — a hole
  13. stand — to bear
  14. current — electric
  15. drill — a practice
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. land — a country
  18. foot — a measure
  19. drill — army training
  20. land — to come down
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. land — ground
  23. current — of water
  24. current — happening now

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