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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: kick · calf · stand · nail · tube · bear · perch · face

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. face — part of the head
  4. face — to point toward
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. face — to confront
  10. stand — to bear
  11. tube — the underground
  12. bear — the animal
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. kick — in football
  20. perch — the fish
  21. bear — the animal
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. kick — with a leg

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