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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. suit — to fit
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. wound — an injury
  8. suit — in cards
  9. ball — a great time
  10. land — a country
  11. land — ground
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. board — a committee
  14. land — to come down
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. suit — clothes
  18. ball — a dance
  19. board — to get on
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. kick — in football
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. wound — an injury

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