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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. suit — clothes
  3. mug — a cup
  4. race — humankind
  5. mug — a face
  6. lean — to bend
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. lean — thin
  9. suit — to fit
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. pitch — completely
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. kick — in football
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. board — a committee
  18. mug — to rob
  19. race — the arms race
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. race — a contest
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. board — to get on
  24. kick — a thrill

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