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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. mark — a trace
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. spring — a coil
  6. cue — a hint
  7. band — a music group
  8. cue — a signal
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. key — in music
  12. cue — for pool
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. key — the most important part
  15. spring — of water
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. mark — a grade
  18. snap — to click
  19. spring — the season
  20. board — to get on
  21. stand — to bear
  22. band — a ring
  23. key — for a lock
  24. board — a flat piece

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