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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: stand · chair · shower · calf · jam · safe · mark · cue

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. stand — to bear
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. mark — a trace
  7. chair — a leader
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. mark — a grade
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. shower — to wash
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. cue — a signal
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. shower — rain
  19. cue — a hint
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. cue — for pool

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