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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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. board — to get on
  3. lean — to bend
  4. spring — the season
  5. clip — to cut
  6. kick — in football
  7. clip — for paper
  8. clip — a video
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. rest — what's left
  11. lean — thin
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. rock — music
  16. rock — a stone
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. spring — of water
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. board — a committee
  23. rest — a break
  24. rest — what's left

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