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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: calf · mine · firm · temple · bowl · foot · stand · suit

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. firm — steady
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. mine — for digging
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. suit — to fit
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. foot — a measure
  9. firm — a company
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. suit — in cards
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. suit — clothes
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. firm — decided

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