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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: kick · trunk · game · suit · bass · bound · stand · date

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. game — wild animals
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. date — the fruit
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. bound — certain
  9. kick — in football
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. stand — to bear
  13. bass — low music
  14. bass — the fish
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. suit — clothes
  18. bound — tied together
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. bound — obliged
  21. suit — to fit
  22. suit — in cards
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. game — a match

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