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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 ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. key — in music
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. key — the most important part
  5. club — for dancing
  6. key — for a lock
  7. hand — in cards
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. board — a committee
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. board — to get on
  13. stem — to come from
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. snap — to click
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. hand — help
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. club — a group
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. club — for golf

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