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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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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: kick · bound · board · game · rule · rock · leaves · calf

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. rule — government
  7. bound — obliged
  8. bound — tied together
  9. rock — music
  10. kick — in football
  11. rock — a stone
  12. bound — certain
  13. board — to get on
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. game — wild animals
  19. rule — a law
  20. game — a match
  21. board — a committee
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. leaves — to go away

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