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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 120 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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. tear — from crying
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. bear — the animal
  14. tear — from crying
  15. stand — to bear
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. tear — to rip
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. calf — a young animal

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