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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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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 · sharp · pit · track · march · board · ruler · deal

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. deal — to handle
  3. kick — in football
  4. track — a song
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. march — the month
  7. pit — in a race
  8. march — the month
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. march — music
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. track — a path
  18. pit — a hole
  19. board — to get on
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. sharp — clever
  23. board — a committee
  24. board — a flat piece

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