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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. rest — what's left
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. board — to get on
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. current — electric
  10. kid — to tease
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. current — of water
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. board — a committee
  16. kick — in football
  17. bound — obliged
  18. bear — the animal
  19. rest — what's left
  20. bound — certain
  21. bound — tied together
  22. kid — child
  23. current — happening now
  24. rest — a break

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