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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 thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. court — of law
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. court — for sport
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. rock — a stone
  15. court — of a king
  16. stem — to come from
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. stand — to bear
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. rock — music

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