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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.

Make a worksheet

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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bound · plane · key · firm · board · capital

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. board — to get on
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. bound — certain
  5. capital — money
  6. key — for a lock
  7. firm — decided
  8. plane — a tool
  9. bound — obliged
  10. capital — a city
  11. key — the most important part
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. firm — steady
  14. bound — tied together
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. key — in music
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. firm — a company

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