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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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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: game · board · ruler · kid · foot · lie · fine · kick

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. board — to get on
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. fine — all right
  7. kick — in football
  8. game — a match
  9. foot — a measure
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. kid — child
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. fine — high quality
  16. game — wild animals
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. lie — to recline
  21. kid — to tease
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. board — a committee
  24. foot — the bottom

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