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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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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 · present · fork · race · object · kick · kid · key

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. kick — in football
  3. present — there
  4. fork — in a road
  5. board — to get on
  6. kid — to tease
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. race — a contest
  9. board — a committee
  10. kid — child
  11. race — the arms race
  12. object — a thing
  13. race — humankind
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. object — an aim
  16. object — to protest
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. present — a gift
  21. key — for a lock
  22. key — in music
  23. present — the time now
  24. key — the most important part

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