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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · staff · bore · kick · dip · ball · track · content

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. dip — to sink
  4. ball — a dance
  5. stand — to bear
  6. staff — employees
  7. track — a song
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. content — the amount
  10. bore — to drill
  11. track — to keep track
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. bore — to tire
  14. ball — a great time
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. track — a path
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. staff — a stick
  20. content — happy
  21. kick — in football
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. staff — employees
  24. dip — to dunk

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