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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 120 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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. firm — decided
  3. stand — to bear
  4. saw — the tool
  5. firm — steady
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. staff — employees
  9. staff — employees
  10. track — to keep track
  11. kick — in football
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. track — a path
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. staff — a stick
  16. press — newspapers
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. saw — the tool
  19. firm — a company
  20. track — a song
  21. press — to push
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. pound — a weight
  24. press — a publisher

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