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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: roll · bay · saw · cabinet · present · wave · calf · stand

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  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. stand — to bear
  2. roll — a list
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. saw — the tool
  5. saw — the tool
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. present — there
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. present — the time now
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. present — a gift
  21. roll — a cake
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  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