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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. stand — to bear
  6. cell — a phone
  7. firm — steady
  8. board — a committee
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. scale — in music
  11. snap — to click
  12. firm — a company
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. firm — decided
  21. cell — in biology
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. board — to get on

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