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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 116 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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. firm — steady
  4. mate — a partner
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. mate — to breed
  10. kid — to tease
  11. firm — a company
  12. saw — the tool
  13. mate — a friend
  14. kick — in football
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. saw — the tool
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. court — of a king
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. firm — decided
  21. kid — child
  22. court — for sport
  23. court — of law
  24. bay — a horse colour

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