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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 124 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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. board — a committee
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. key — the most important part
  5. wound — an injury
  6. key — for a lock
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. board — to get on
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. key — in music
  19. wound — an injury
  20. chip — to eat
  21. stand — to bear
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. chip — for betting
  24. kick — in football

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