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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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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: key · straw · rush · bore · bay · stand · fine · kick

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. fine — all right
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. fine — high quality
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. bore — to tire
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. key — in music
  13. bore — to drill
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. kick — in football
  18. key — for a lock
  19. stand — to bear
  20. key — the most important part
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. rush — hurry
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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