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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: jam · lean · stand · calf · march · wound

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. march — music
  3. march — the month
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. lean — thin
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. wound — an injury
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. march — the month
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. lean — to bend
  18. stand — to bear

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