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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. cue — a hint
  4. key — for a lock
  5. key — in music
  6. mug — to rob
  7. cue — for pool
  8. stand — to bear
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. board — to get on
  11. net — for catching
  12. cue — a signal
  13. mug — a cup
  14. net — after costs
  15. mug — a face
  16. net — in sport
  17. key — the most important part
  18. stand — for spectators

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