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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. net — in sport
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. branch — a division
  7. object — a thing
  8. suit — clothes
  9. net — for catching
  10. race — humankind
  11. net — after costs
  12. suit — to fit
  13. race — a contest
  14. suit — in cards
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. race — the arms race
  17. kick — in football
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. object — an aim
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. object — to protest
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. stand — for spectators

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