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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 don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. key — the most important part
  7. game — a match
  8. game — wild animals
  9. key — in music
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. bound — certain
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. bound — tied together
  16. bound — obliged
  17. board — to get on
  18. key — for a lock
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. bark — to shout
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. pass — a permit
  24. board — a committee

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