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

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. wind — moving air
  3. stand — to bear
  4. file — a line of people
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. object — an aim
  9. object — to protest
  10. file — a document
  11. saw — the tool
  12. firm — steady
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. object — a thing
  15. firm — a company
  16. saw — the tool
  17. net — for catching
  18. file — a tool
  19. kick — in football
  20. firm — decided
  21. wind — moving air
  22. net — in sport
  23. net — after costs
  24. stand — on your feet

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