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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. stand — to bear
  3. wind — moving air
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bear — the animal
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. ball — a dance
  13. tear — from crying
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. wind — moving air
  17. plane — a tool
  18. tear — to rip
  19. ball — a great time
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. tear — from crying

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