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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. land — a country
  3. rash — a series
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. land — to come down
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. board — a committee
  12. board — to get on
  13. firm — a company
  14. perch — the fish
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. firm — decided
  19. firm — steady
  20. rush — hurry
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. rash — hasty
  23. land — ground
  24. kick — in football

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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