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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: ball · deal · branch · board · kick · lie · drill · spell

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. spell — a short time
  3. drill — the tool
  4. drill — army training
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. drill — a practice
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. spell — letters
  12. lie — to recline
  13. kick — in football
  14. ball — a great time
  15. spell — magic
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. branch — a division
  18. deal — to handle
  19. board — to get on
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. board — a committee
  24. ball — a dance

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