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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. land — ground
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. capital — money
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. deal — to handle
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. foot — a measure
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. capital — a city
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. land — a country
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. stand — to bear
  20. land — to come down
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. lean — thin
  23. lean — to bend
  24. lean — to rest against

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