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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 116 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: hand · calf · hide · court · stand · suit · rest · root

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. court — of a king
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. hand — in cards
  5. court — of law
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. hand — help
  8. suit — in cards
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. suit — clothes
  11. root — the cause
  12. rest — what's left
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. root — of a word
  15. rest — a break
  16. root — of a plant
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. court — for sport
  19. suit — to fit
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. rest — what's left
  23. stand — on your feet
  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