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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. drill — a practice
  3. board — a committee
  4. bound — obliged
  5. kick — in football
  6. cap — a lid
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. cap — a hat
  10. squash — the sport
  11. mark — a grade
  12. drill — army training
  13. drill — the tool
  14. mark — a trace
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. key — for a lock
  17. cap — of ice
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. key — in music
  20. bound — tied together
  21. key — the most important part
  22. squash — to crush
  23. bound — certain
  24. board — to get on

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