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

Word bank: stand · lean · calf · race · board · shower · jam · snap

  1. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  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. race — a contest
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. shower — rain
  5. lean — to bend
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. stand — to bear
  8. board — to get on
  9. race — humankind
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. race — the arms race
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. board — a committee
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. snap — to click
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. shower — to wash
  23. lean — thin
  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