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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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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: firm · rest · calf · wave · date · land · deal · stand

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. land — a country
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. rest — what's left
  8. rest — what's left
  9. deal — to handle
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. land — to come down
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. stand — to bear
  16. firm — steady
  17. rest — a break
  18. firm — a company
  19. date — the fruit
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. firm — decided
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. land — ground

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