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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. club — for dancing
  3. suit — in cards
  4. ground — crushed
  5. current — electric
  6. ground — the earth
  7. stand — to bear
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. club — for golf
  11. ground — a position
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. club — a group
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. suit — to fit
  19. current — of water
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. suit — clothes
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. current — happening now

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