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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 want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. board — a committee
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. capital — money
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. lean — to bend
  9. tube — the underground
  10. capital — a city
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. kick — in football
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. lean — thin
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. board — to get on
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. leaves — of a tree

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