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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: stand · pitch · bear · snap · track · temple · kick · firm

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. track — a song
  5. firm — decided
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. bear — the animal
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. track — a path
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. firm — steady
  13. kick — in football
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. pitch — completely
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. stand — to bear
  19. track — to keep track
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. snap — to click
  22. bear — the animal
  23. firm — a company
  24. temple — side of the head

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