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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. board — a committee
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. band — a music group
  8. tube — the underground
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. fork — in a road
  11. board — to get on
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. tube — a container
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. pitch — completely
  17. key — the most important part
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. dip — to sink
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. key — in music
  24. band — a ring

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