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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've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. stand — to bear
  3. cue — for pool
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. mark — a grade
  8. present — the time now
  9. cue — a hint
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. rush — hurry
  12. present — there
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. cue — a signal
  17. shower — rain
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. mark — a trace
  20. present — a gift
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. shower — to wash
  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