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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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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 · kick · fine · racket · object · lie

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. lie — to recline
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. object — to protest
  6. fine — high quality
  7. stand — to bear
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. fine — all right
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. object — an aim
  14. kick — in football
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. kick — a thrill

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