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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: pass · ground · calf · stand · toast · stick · sharp · temple

  1. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. sharp — clever
  7. ground — crushed
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. stand — to bear
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. ground — the earth
  19. ground — a position
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. pass — a permit
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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