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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. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. current — of water
  8. board — to get on
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. current — happening now
  11. current — electric
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. kick — in football
  14. clip — for paper
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. clip — to cut
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. board — a committee
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. bark — to shout
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. clip — a video

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