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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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. board — a committee
  3. kick — in football
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. branch — a division
  8. last — finally
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. last — final
  11. pass — a permit
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. rule — government
  15. last — to go on
  16. rule — a law
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. board — to get on
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. branch — of a bank

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