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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. board — to get on
  3. kick — in football
  4. mug — a cup
  5. stem — to come from
  6. land — to come down
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. mug — a face
  9. track — a path
  10. rock — a stone
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. board — a committee
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. track — a song
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. rock — music
  18. land — ground
  19. bound — obliged
  20. land — a country
  21. bound — certain
  22. track — to keep track
  23. bound — tied together
  24. mug — to rob

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