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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: can · cold · calf · face · leaves · stand · spell · ruler

  1. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. The water is too ________________.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. cold — an illness
  2. spell — letters
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. can — a tin
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. face — part of the head
  9. face — to point toward
  10. spell — a short time
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. stand — to bear
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. can — a tin
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. cold — the Cold War
  19. face — to confront
  20. cold — not warm
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. spell — magic
  24. can — to be able to

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