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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. board — a committee
  7. kick — in football
  8. board — to get on
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. tear — to rip
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. tube — the underground
  18. key — for a lock
  19. key — in music
  20. tear — from crying
  21. tube — a container
  22. tear — from crying
  23. deal — to handle
  24. key — the most important part

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