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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. cap — a hat
  3. key — in music
  4. cap — of ice
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. track — a song
  7. key — for a lock
  8. board — a committee
  9. key — the most important part
  10. board — to get on
  11. kid — to tease
  12. suit — in cards
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. cap — a lid
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. track — a path
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. kid — child
  21. suit — clothes
  22. suit — to fit
  23. track — to keep track
  24. row — a line

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