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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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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: kid · present · mouse · board · stick · cell

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. present — a gift
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. present — there
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. cell — in biology
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. board — to get on
  10. kid — to tease
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. board — a committee
  14. kid — child
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. present — the time now
  17. cell — a phone
  18. mouse — 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