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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. key — in music
  3. board — to get on
  4. staff — employees
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. key — the most important part
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. row — a line
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. staff — a stick
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. tube — the underground
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. staff — employees
  20. key — for a lock
  21. row — to paddle
  22. board — a committee
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. tube — a container

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