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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. race — the arms race
  4. scale — in music
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. wound — an injury
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. race — humankind
  16. wound — an injury
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. lean — thin
  20. scale — size or range
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. lean — to bend
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. race — a contest

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