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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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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: mine · clip · key · cue · bowl · board · present · ruler

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. present — there
  3. board — to get on
  4. cue — a hint
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. key — for a lock
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. mine — for digging
  10. clip — a video
  11. board — a committee
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. clip — to cut
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. present — the time now
  18. cue — for pool
  19. clip — for paper
  20. key — in music
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. key — the most important part
  24. present — a gift

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