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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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468
Word bank
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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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. stand — for spectators
  4. swing — music
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. swing — to play on
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. swing — in golf
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. wax — to grow
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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