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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. stand — to bear
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. fall — to drop
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. root — the cause
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. fall — to drop
  10. craft — boats
  11. board — a committee
  12. board — to get on
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. root — of a plant
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. root — of a word
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. fall — the season
  22. craft — a skill
  23. pound — a weight
  24. bowl — a dish

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