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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: hide · rush · drill · stand · rest · kick · deal · stem

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. drill — the tool
  5. kick — in football
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. drill — army training
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. rush — hurry
  11. drill — a practice
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. rest — what's left
  14. rest — a break
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. stem — to come from
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. deal — to handle
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. rest — what's left

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