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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bear · game · board · fork · pitcher · current · rule · kick

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. game — wild animals
  3. current — electric
  4. current — of water
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. current — happening now
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. fork — in a road
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. bear — the animal
  14. rule — a law
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. bear — the animal
  18. kick — in football
  19. board — to get on
  20. board — a committee
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. game — a match

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