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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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: lash · spell · can · board · game · stand · rule · kick

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. game — wild animals
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. can — a tin
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. spell — letters
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. board — to get on
  12. rule — government
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. kick — in football
  15. rule — a law
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. stand — to bear
  18. can — to be able to
  19. game — a match
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. can — a tin
  22. spell — magic
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. board — a committee

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