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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. plane — a tool
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. band — a music group
  6. board — to get on
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. charge — a price
  9. charge — electricity
  10. board — a committee
  11. key — in music
  12. stem — to come from
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. band — a ring
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. charge — in control
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. key — for a lock

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