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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.

Make a worksheet

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: land · game · current · kick · temple · bass · bay · board

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. land — to come down
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. board — a committee
  5. current — of water
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. land — ground
  10. kick — in football
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. board — to get on
  13. land — a country
  14. bass — low music
  15. current — electric
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. game — a match
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. bass — the fish
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. game — wild animals
  24. current — happening now

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