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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: kid · fine · dip · plane · bore · kick · hide · stand

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. kick — in football
  4. stand — to bear
  5. dip — to sink
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. fine — all right
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. bore — to drill
  14. bore — to tire
  15. fine — high quality
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. kid — to tease
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. plane — a tool
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. kid — child
  24. hide — to keep secret

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