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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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. board — to get on
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. chip — to eat
  8. kid — child
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. mate — a friend
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. mate — to breed
  17. pass — a permit
  18. kid — to tease
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. board — a committee
  21. branch — a division
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. chip — for betting
  24. mate — a partner

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