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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: charge · kick · wind · deal · board · stand · game · bear

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. board — to get on
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. stand — to bear
  11. kick — in football
  12. bear — the animal
  13. board — a committee
  14. wind — moving air
  15. deal — to handle
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. wind — moving air
  19. charge — in control
  20. game — wild animals
  21. charge — a price
  22. bear — the animal
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. charge — electricity

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