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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.

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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: game · stand · plane · pass · kick · straw · net · bay

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. kick — in football
  3. game — a match
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. stand — to bear
  7. net — for catching
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. plane — a tool
  10. pass — a permit
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. net — in sport
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. net — after costs
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. game — wild animals
  24. pass — to succeed

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