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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: wave · suit · ground · lean · cap · roll · calf · stand

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. suit — in cards
  3. lean — to bend
  4. suit — to fit
  5. ground — crushed
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. cap — a hat
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. lean — thin
  11. suit — clothes
  12. ground — the earth
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. ground — a position
  15. cap — a lid
  16. roll — a list
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. roll — a cake
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. cap — of ice

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