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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. stand — to bear
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. mate — a partner
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. suit — clothes
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. mate — a friend
  15. tube — the underground
  16. suit — in cards
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. mate — to breed
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. tube — a container

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