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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'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. fork — in a road
  4. tube — the underground
  5. lean — thin
  6. lean — to bend
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. rule — government
  10. bear — the animal
  11. mug — a cup
  12. kick — in football
  13. tube — a container
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. board — to get on
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. mug — to rob
  21. bear — the animal
  22. rule — a law
  23. mug — a face
  24. kick — a thrill

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