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

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. game — wild animals
  5. kick — in football
  6. bore — to drill
  7. board — a committee
  8. bore — to tire
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. sharp — clever
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. rock — music
  13. board — to get on
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. game — a match
  17. rock — a stone
  18. rock — to move gently

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