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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. False peace will not ________________.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  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. last — to go on
  2. board — a committee
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. board — to get on
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. kid — to tease
  9. game — wild animals
  10. last — final
  11. mark — a trace
  12. kid — child
  13. mark — a grade
  14. last — finally
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. game — a match
  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