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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. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. The water is too ________________.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. charge — electricity
  4. cold — the Cold War
  5. fall — to drop
  6. charge — in control
  7. fall — the season
  8. board — a committee
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. current — electric
  11. key — in music
  12. cold — not warm
  13. key — the most important part
  14. current — happening now
  15. charge — a price
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. kick — in football
  18. current — of water
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. key — for a lock
  22. board — to get on
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. cold — an illness

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