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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: stick · stand · calf · file · mark · deal · pit · straw

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. file — a document
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. mark — a grade
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. deal — to handle
  10. stand — to bear
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. file — a tool
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. mark — a trace
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. file — a line of people
  23. pit — in a race
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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