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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: deal · kid · stand · kick · track · rule

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. rule — a law
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. kid — to tease
  6. kid — child
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. rule — government
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. deal — to handle
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. track — to keep track
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. track — a song
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. stand — to bear
  17. track — a path
  18. kick — in football

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