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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. hand — help
  5. kick — in football
  6. bound — obliged
  7. vault — a safe
  8. spring — the season
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. mark — a grade
  11. mark — a trace
  12. spell — a short time
  13. spell — magic
  14. board — a committee
  15. bound — tied together
  16. spring — a coil
  17. bound — certain
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. hand — in cards
  21. spring — of water
  22. board — to get on
  23. spell — letters
  24. mark — to pay attention

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