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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 116 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: bear · kick · sharp · board · rule · pitch · suit · club

  1. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. bear — the animal
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. kick — in football
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. bear — the animal
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. club — for golf
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. board — a committee
  15. rule — a law
  16. suit — to fit
  17. pitch — completely
  18. club — a group
  19. suit — clothes
  20. suit — in cards
  21. sharp — clever
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. rule — government
  24. board — to get 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