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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: stand · press · kick · kid · chip · bay

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. stand — to bear
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. chip — for betting
  8. press — newspapers
  9. press — a publisher
  10. kid — child
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. kick — in football
  16. kid — to tease
  17. chip — to eat
  18. press — to push

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