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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: drill · kick · present · suit · object · mouse · spring · board

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. "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. kick — a thrill
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. board — a committee
  4. drill — a practice
  5. drill — army training
  6. suit — in cards
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. kick — in football
  9. present — there
  10. drill — the tool
  11. object — a thing
  12. present — the time now
  13. spring — of water
  14. suit — to fit
  15. spring — the season
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. suit — clothes
  18. present — a gift
  19. spring — a coil
  20. board — to get on
  21. object — to protest
  22. object — an aim
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. 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