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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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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: game · club · fine · kick · bound · nail · pitch · rule

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. bound — tied together
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. bound — obliged
  6. pitch — completely
  7. kick — in football
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. game — wild animals
  10. club — a group
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. club — for golf
  13. rule — government
  14. fine — high quality
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. rule — a law
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. game — a match
  19. bound — certain
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. fine — all right
  22. club — for dancing
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. rule — to rule out

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