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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. bound — tied together
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. bound — obliged
  6. board — a committee
  7. plane — a tool
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. club — a group
  11. kick — in football
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. club — for golf
  14. wax — to grow
  15. board — to get on
  16. deal — to handle
  17. bound — certain
  18. face — part of the head
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. face — to point toward
  21. club — for dancing
  22. face — to confront
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. wax — in the ear

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