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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. key — the most important part
  3. suit — to fit
  4. suit — in cards
  5. suit — clothes
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. rash — hasty
  11. key — for a lock
  12. game — wild animals
  13. firm — a company
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. board — to get on
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. board — a committee
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. firm — steady
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. key — in music
  23. game — a match
  24. rash — a series

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