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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: content · row · stick · rule · calf · jam · stand · season

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. season — of the year
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. stand — to bear
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. content — the amount
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. content — happy
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. season — in sport
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. row — to paddle
  16. rule — a law
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. rule — government
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. row — a line

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