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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. kick — in football
  3. deal — to handle
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. drill — army training
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. drill — a practice
  10. fall — to drop
  11. drill — the tool
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. board — a committee
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bear — the animal
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. board — to get on
  22. fall — the season
  23. stem — to come from
  24. fall — to drop

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