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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. firm — a company
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. foot — a measure
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. firm — steady
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. firm — decided
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. stand — to bear
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. straw — dry grass

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