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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. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. pitch — completely
  3. present — there
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. bound — certain
  7. wake — a trail
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. present — a gift
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. present — the time now
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. hand — in cards
  16. stand — to bear
  17. bound — tied together
  18. ball — a great time
  19. ball — a dance
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. bound — obliged
  23. hand — help
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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