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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  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. kick — with a leg
  2. lie — to recline
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. deal — to handle
  5. land — ground
  6. firm — decided
  7. board — a committee
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. land — to come down
  10. hand — in cards
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. firm — steady
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. game — wild animals
  16. game — a match
  17. land — a country
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. board — to get on
  21. firm — a company
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. hand — help
  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