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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. chair — a leader
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. bound — tied together
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. pound — a weight
  9. bound — certain
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. stand — to bear
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. bulb — for light
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. fork — in a road
  22. bound — obliged
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. bulb — for light

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