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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. season — of the year
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. mark — a trace
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. cue — a signal
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. mine — for digging
  14. mark — a grade
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. cue — a hint
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. season — in sport
  22. stand — to bear
  23. cue — for pool
  24. perch — the fish

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