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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. object — an aim
  3. key — for a lock
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. board — to get on
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. spell — letters
  8. key — in music
  9. clip — to cut
  10. spell — magic
  11. cap — a lid
  12. object — a thing
  13. clip — for paper
  14. object — to protest
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. clip — a video
  17. board — a committee
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. key — the most important part
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. cap — a hat
  23. cap — of ice
  24. spell — a short time

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