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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. key — in music
  3. key — the most important part
  4. board — a committee
  5. pass — a permit
  6. last — finally
  7. suit — to fit
  8. band — a music group
  9. key — for a lock
  10. suit — in cards
  11. band — a ring
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. can — a tin
  15. suit — clothes
  16. last — final
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. can — to be able to
  19. last — to go on
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. can — a tin
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. pass — to spend time

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