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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: rash · firm · tube · spell · cue · stand · hide · calf

  1. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  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. rash — hasty
  2. firm — steady
  3. spell — magic
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. spell — letters
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. firm — a company
  9. cue — a signal
  10. spell — a short time
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. cue — a hint
  14. tube — a container
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. firm — decided
  17. rash — a series
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. tube — the underground
  23. stand — to bear
  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