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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 120 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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. bear — the animal
  4. board — a committee
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. board — to get on
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. bass — the fish
  15. bass — low music
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. content — happy
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. bear — the animal
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. content — the amount

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