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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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. game — a match
  4. scale — size or range
  5. key — in music
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. branch — a division
  11. board — to get on
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. board — a committee
  14. key — the most important part
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. key — for a lock
  17. game — wild animals
  18. scale — in music
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. row — a line
  23. row — to paddle
  24. branch — of a bank

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