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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. dip — to sink
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. mine — for digging
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. mate — a partner
  10. board — to get on
  11. key — the most important part
  12. mate — a friend
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. key — for a lock
  15. mate — to breed
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. key — in music
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. object — to protest
  22. board — a committee
  23. object — a thing
  24. object — an aim

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