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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.

Make a worksheet

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: race · stand · trunk · season · kick · firm · land · current

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. season — of the year
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. land — ground
  5. race — a contest
  6. season — in sport
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. stand — to bear
  9. current — electric
  10. race — humankind
  11. firm — steady
  12. race — the arms race
  13. kick — in football
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. land — a country
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. land — to come down
  20. firm — a company
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. current — of water
  23. current — happening now
  24. stand — on your feet

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