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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: current · firm · charge · hand · foot · lean · race · kick

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. firm — decided
  3. charge — in control
  4. race — the arms race
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. current — happening now
  7. charge — electricity
  8. lean — to bend
  9. race — a contest
  10. hand — help
  11. race — humankind
  12. current — of water
  13. hand — in cards
  14. charge — a price
  15. firm — a company
  16. kick — in football
  17. foot — a measure
  18. lean — thin
  19. firm — steady
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. current — electric
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. lean — to rest against

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