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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. rock — music
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. squash — to crush
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. bore — to drill
  10. bore — to tire
  11. roll — a cake
  12. board — to get on
  13. scale — in music
  14. plane — a tool
  15. roll — a list
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. scale — size or range
  19. rock — a stone
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. squash — the sport
  24. board — a committee

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