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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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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: saw · cold · calf · stand · present · pit · bear · ruler

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. The water is too ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. cold — the Cold War
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. present — there
  7. pit — in a race
  8. pit — a hole
  9. present — the time now
  10. saw — the tool
  11. present — a gift
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. stand — to bear
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. bear — the animal
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. bear — the animal
  18. cold — not warm
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. saw — the tool
  22. cold — an illness
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. calf — of the leg

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