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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: stand · mouse · sharp · wind · stick · fine · calf · tear

  1. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. tear — to rip
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. fine — high quality
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. tear — from crying
  13. wind — moving air
  14. sharp — clever
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. wind — moving air
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. fine — all right
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. stand — to bear

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