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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 116 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: suit · calf · row · coach · march · track · stand · wake

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. track — a path
  3. row — a line
  4. march — music
  5. suit — to fit
  6. suit — in cards
  7. row — to paddle
  8. track — to keep track
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. suit — clothes
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. march — the month
  16. stand — to bear
  17. track — a song
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. march — the month
  24. wake — a trail

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