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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. can — a tin
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. firm — steady
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. club — for dancing
  12. stand — to bear
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. firm — a company
  15. club — for golf
  16. can — a tin
  17. club — a group
  18. can — to be able to
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. wake — a trail
  24. firm — decided

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