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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. row — to paddle
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. board — a committee
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. key — in music
  9. kick — in football
  10. pass — a permit
  11. bank — for money
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. bank — of a river
  18. sharp — clever
  19. row — a line
  20. board — to get on
  21. key — for a lock
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. bank — for money

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