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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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. ground — a position
  3. current — electric
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. current — happening now
  7. current — of water
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. board — a committee
  10. ground — crushed
  11. ground — the earth
  12. bore — to drill
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. kick — in football
  16. board — to get on
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. bore — to tire

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