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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 116 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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. present — a gift
  3. key — for a lock
  4. key — in music
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. board — a committee
  7. board — to get on
  8. firm — a company
  9. firm — decided
  10. firm — steady
  11. staff — employees
  12. present — the time now
  13. game — wild animals
  14. shower — to wash
  15. shower — rain
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. staff — a stick
  18. present — there
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. staff — employees
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. key — the most important part
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. game — a kind of play

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