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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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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 · race · spring · pop · face · suit · pit · calf

  1. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. spring — the season
  4. suit — clothes
  5. pit — a hole
  6. pit — in a race
  7. face — to confront
  8. spring — a coil
  9. race — humankind
  10. pop — music
  11. race — the arms race
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. face — to point toward
  15. race — a contest
  16. pop — to visit
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. stand — to bear
  20. face — part of the head
  21. pop — soda
  22. suit — to fit
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. suit — in cards

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