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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: lean · stick · calf · pass · chest · stand · race · bowl

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. race — a contest
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. lean — to bend
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. race — the arms race
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. chest — of your body
  12. pass — a permit
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. chest — a box
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. chest — of your body
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. lean — thin
  22. race — humankind
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. stand — to bear

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