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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: pound · jam · calf · stand · stick · straw · suit · rock

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. suit — to fit
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. suit — clothes
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. stand — to bear
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. pound — a weight
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. suit — in cards
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. rock — a stone
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. rock — music
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. stand — on your feet

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