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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'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. bound — certain
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. season — in sport
  6. mate — a partner
  7. bear — the animal
  8. mate — a friend
  9. firm — a company
  10. kid — to tease
  11. bound — obliged
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. bear — the animal
  14. track — a song
  15. season — of the year
  16. bound — tied together
  17. track — a path
  18. mate — to breed
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. kick — in football
  21. firm — decided
  22. kid — child
  23. track — to keep track
  24. kick — a thrill

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