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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. firm — decided
  6. kid — to tease
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. kick — in football
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. firm — steady
  11. land — ground
  12. land — a country
  13. land — to come down
  14. charge — in control
  15. kid — child
  16. foot — a measure
  17. charge — electricity
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. wound — an injury
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. wound — an injury
  23. firm — a company
  24. charge — a price

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