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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 120 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: stand · mark · calf · bear · degree · swing · charge · cue

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. swing — to play on
  4. stand — to bear
  5. charge — in control
  6. swing — music
  7. degree — from a university
  8. mark — a trace
  9. cue — a signal
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. mark — a grade
  12. swing — in golf
  13. cue — a hint
  14. charge — electricity
  15. degree — temperature
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. degree — an amount
  19. cue — for pool
  20. charge — a price
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. bear — the animal
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. stand — for spectators

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