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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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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: stick · bound · kick · present · ruler · staff

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. bound — tied together
  7. kick — in football
  8. staff — employees
  9. bound — obliged
  10. staff — employees
  11. bound — certain
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. present — a gift
  16. present — the time now
  17. staff — a stick
  18. present — there

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