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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 120 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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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: mine · track · fall · firm · kick · ball · calf · stand

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. fall — to drop
  4. firm — steady
  5. mine — for digging
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. firm — a company
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. firm — decided
  11. fall — to drop
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. kick — in football
  15. stand — to bear
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. track — to keep track
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. ball — a great time
  20. track — a path
  21. track — a song
  22. ball — a dance
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. ball — a round shape

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