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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 120 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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: chair · pop · kick · drill · can · board

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. board — a committee
  4. can — a tin
  5. pop — soda
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. board — to get on
  9. drill — a practice
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. pop — music
  12. can — to be able to
  13. can — a tin
  14. kick — in football
  15. drill — army training
  16. chair — a leader
  17. pop — to visit
  18. chair — to sit on

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