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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.

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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: mouse · kick · current · firm · bat · stand · charge · race

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. race — humankind
  3. kick — in football
  4. firm — steady
  5. firm — decided
  6. race — a contest
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. current — of water
  11. stand — to bear
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. bat — the animal
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. charge — a price
  16. firm — a company
  17. current — happening now
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. charge — electricity
  21. charge — in control
  22. current — electric
  23. race — the arms race
  24. mouse — for a computer

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