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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. club — for dancing
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. club — for golf
  8. rush — hurry
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. saw — the tool
  11. pass — a permit
  12. saw — the tool
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. board — to get on
  15. club — a group
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. kick — in football
  20. board — a committee
  21. kid — to tease
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. kid — child
  24. pass — to spend time

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