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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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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 · ground · ball · tube · wind · mark · stand · bay

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. tube — a container
  3. stand — to bear
  4. mark — a trace
  5. ground — a position
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. wind — moving air
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. ground — the earth
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. kick — in football
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. ball — a dance
  17. tube — the underground
  18. ball — a great time
  19. wind — moving air
  20. ground — crushed
  21. mark — a grade
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. mark — to pay attention

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