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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. rest — what's left
  6. chair — a leader
  7. wound — an injury
  8. rest — a break
  9. wound — an injury
  10. fine — high quality
  11. pop — to visit
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. staff — a stick
  14. staff — employees
  15. kick — in football
  16. stand — to bear
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. fine — all right
  19. staff — employees
  20. rest — what's left
  21. pop — soda
  22. pop — music
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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