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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 120 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
468
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: kick · arm · drill · sharp · current · stand · content · lean

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. stand — to bear
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. current — of water
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. lean — thin
  10. content — the amount
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. content — happy
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. drill — the tool
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. kick — in football
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. lean — to bend
  19. drill — a practice
  20. current — electric
  21. sharp — clever
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. current — happening now
  24. sharp — with an edge

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