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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. pit — in a race
  3. content — happy
  4. staff — employees
  5. key — the most important part
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. content — the amount
  9. key — in music
  10. staff — a stick
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. board — a committee
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. pit — a hole
  20. staff — employees
  21. board — to get on
  22. key — for a lock
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. content — videos and posts

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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