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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: stand · kick · fine · racket · object · lie · pound · sharp

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. object — an aim
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. object — a thing
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. pound — a weight
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. stand — to bear
  14. lie — to recline
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. sharp — clever
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. fine — high quality
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. kick — in football
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. fine — all right

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