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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. toast — bread
  3. firm — steady
  4. stand — to bear
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. pit — a hole
  7. firm — decided
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. pit — in a race
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. firm — a company
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. kick — in football
  18. wound — an injury
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. lean — to bend
  21. wound — an injury
  22. lean — thin
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. wave — of the sea

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