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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.

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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. board — to get on
  3. key — the most important part
  4. rest — a break
  5. game — wild animals
  6. bore — to tire
  7. key — for a lock
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. bore — to drill
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. key — in music
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. rest — what's left
  15. board — a committee
  16. perch — the fish
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. game — a match
  22. stand — to bear
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. rest — what's left

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