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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: straw · suit · kick · board · bore · charge · degree · arm

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. degree — an amount
  3. degree — from a university
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. charge — in control
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. suit — in cards
  8. suit — to fit
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. bore — to drill
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. board — to get on
  14. suit — clothes
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. degree — temperature
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. kick — in football
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. board — a committee
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. charge — electricity
  23. charge — a price
  24. bore — to tire

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