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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: stand · kick · trunk · pound · wake · lean · pitch · kid

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. stand — to bear
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. wake — a trail
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. kick — in football
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. pitch — completely
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. kid — child
  20. lean — to bend
  21. pound — a weight
  22. kid — to tease
  23. lean — thin
  24. trunk — of a car

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