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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. drill — army training
  3. board — a committee
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. kick — in football
  7. bulb — for light
  8. board — to get on
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. drill — the tool
  12. cue — a hint
  13. cue — for pool
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. vault — a safe
  16. drill — a practice
  17. content — happy
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. cue — a signal
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. bulb — for light
  23. content — the amount
  24. bat — the animal

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