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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 116 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 · bay · patient · stand · bat · bound · root · snap

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. kick — in football
  3. root — of a word
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. root — the cause
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. bound — tied together
  11. root — of a plant
  12. snap — to click
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. bound — certain
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. bat — the animal
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. bound — obliged
  24. stand — to bear

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