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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: pit · drill · deal · firm · fall · board · kick · season

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. firm — steady
  4. board — a committee
  5. drill — the tool
  6. pit — a hole
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. kick — in football
  9. fall — to drop
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. firm — decided
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. drill — a practice
  16. drill — army training
  17. fall — the season
  18. deal — to handle
  19. season — of the year
  20. fall — to drop
  21. season — in sport
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. firm — a company
  24. board — to get on

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