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

Word bank: stand · race · key · kick · bear · fall

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. bear — the animal
  4. race — a contest
  5. key — the most important part
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. stand — to bear
  8. key — in music
  9. fall — to drop
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. race — humankind
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. key — for a lock
  14. bear — the animal
  15. fall — to drop
  16. fall — the season
  17. kick — in football
  18. race — the arms race

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