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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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468
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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. key — the most important part
  3. perch — the fish
  4. key — for a lock
  5. bore — to tire
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. board — a committee
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. bore — to drill
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. stand — to bear
  16. key — in music
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. fork — in a road
  24. board — to get on

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