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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: kick · hide · mouse · mine · stand · chair · deal · last

  1. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. stand — to bear
  8. kick — in football
  9. chair — a leader
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. deal — to handle
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. last — final
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. mine — for digging
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. last — to go on

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