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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. board — a committee
  5. capital — money
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. capital — a city
  8. track — a path
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. key — the most important part
  12. key — in music
  13. board — to get on
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. track — a song
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. track — to keep track
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. wave — with your hand

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