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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.

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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: board · sharp · cabinet · rule · track · firm · squash · kick

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. track — a song
  3. rule — government
  4. track — a path
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. sharp — clever
  7. firm — a company
  8. board — to get on
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. firm — decided
  11. board — a committee
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. rule — a law
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. kick — in football
  16. firm — steady
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. squash — to crush
  21. squash — the sport
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. track — to keep track
  24. rule — to rule out

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