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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: pit · bound · mate · firm · hand · foot · kick · fan

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. firm — steady
  5. bound — certain
  6. firm — decided
  7. bound — obliged
  8. bound — tied together
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. hand — in cards
  11. mate — a partner
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. hand — help
  14. firm — a company
  15. foot — a measure
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. kick — in football
  18. pit — in a race
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. pit — a hole
  23. mate — a friend
  24. mate — to breed

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