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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. court — of law
  6. ground — a position
  7. key — for a lock
  8. pass — a permit
  9. court — for sport
  10. ground — crushed
  11. board — to get on
  12. board — a committee
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. court — of a king
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. key — the most important part
  18. key — in music
  19. ground — the earth
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. foot — a measure

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