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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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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: firm · stand · deal · lash · patient · branch · kick · squash

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. firm — decided
  5. firm — steady
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. squash — the sport
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. branch — a division
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. stand — to bear
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. firm — a company
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. kick — in football
  20. deal — to handle
  21. squash — to crush
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. patient — a sick person

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