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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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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 · straw · calf · swing · stick · club · cue · present

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. club — a group
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. present — the time now
  5. stand — to bear
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. club — for dancing
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. present — there
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. club — for golf
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. swing — music
  15. cue — a signal
  16. cue — a hint
  17. swing — to play on
  18. cue — for pool
  19. swing — in golf
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. present — a gift

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