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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. plane — a tool
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. rock — a stone
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. roll — a list
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. kick — in football
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. roll — a cake
  24. rock — music

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