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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: key · stand · lean · kick · content · lash · mark · bear

  1. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. mark — a grade
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. stand — to bear
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. bear — the animal
  11. content — happy
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. content — the amount
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. lean — thin
  18. mark — a trace
  19. key — for a lock
  20. bear — the animal
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. key — in music
  23. kick — in football
  24. key — the most important part

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