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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 116 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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. board — to get on
  3. hand — in cards
  4. rest — a break
  5. key — in music
  6. board — a committee
  7. bank — for money
  8. rest — what's left
  9. bank — for money
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. bank — of a river
  12. hand — help
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. key — for a lock
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. key — the most important part
  17. rest — what's left
  18. racket — for tennis

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