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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. current — happening now
  3. rush — hurry
  4. firm — steady
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. ball — a great time
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. kick — in football
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. current — electric
  13. stand — to bear
  14. mark — a grade
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. firm — decided
  17. mark — a trace
  18. ball — a dance
  19. firm — a company
  20. fall — to drop
  21. fall — to drop
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. fall — the season
  24. kick — with a leg

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