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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. kick — in football
  3. board — to get on
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. fall — the season
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. band — a ring
  9. stock — goods
  10. face — to confront
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. cue — a hint
  13. face — to point toward
  14. cue — for pool
  15. fall — to drop
  16. board — a committee
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. face — part of the head
  21. stock — shares
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. cue — a signal
  24. band — a music group

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