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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 captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. key — the most important part
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. squash — to crush
  5. board — a committee
  6. key — in music
  7. club — a group
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. squash — the sport
  10. cap — a lid
  11. pitch — completely
  12. bore — to drill
  13. key — for a lock
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. club — for dancing
  16. bore — to tire
  17. cap — a hat
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. content — the amount
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. club — for golf
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. cap — of ice
  24. content — happy

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