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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. key — in music
  4. board — to get on
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. ground — the earth
  7. wind — moving air
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. key — the most important part
  11. key — for a lock
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. board — a committee
  14. wake — a trail
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. ground — a position
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. wind — moving air
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. ground — crushed
  24. cabinet — ministers

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