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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. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. staff — a stick
  3. bulb — for light
  4. board — to get on
  5. board — a committee
  6. drill — army training
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. mug — a cup
  9. staff — employees
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. mug — a face
  12. lean — thin
  13. drill — the tool
  14. staff — employees
  15. drill — a practice
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. mug — to rob
  20. lean — to bend
  21. stock — goods
  22. stock — shares
  23. bulb — for light
  24. kick — in football

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