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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. mark — a grade
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. dip — to sink
  7. firm — a company
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. spring — a coil
  14. mark — a trace
  15. spring — the season
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. spring — of water
  18. firm — steady
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. firm — decided
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. dip — a sauce

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