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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: cap · content · bear · board · stand · key · season · rest

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. key — for a lock
  3. cap — a hat
  4. board — to get on
  5. season — in sport
  6. key — the most important part
  7. season — of the year
  8. content — the amount
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. stand — to bear
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. cap — of ice
  14. rest — a break
  15. bear — the animal
  16. key — in music
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. bear — the animal
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. content — happy
  22. rest — what's left
  23. rest — what's left
  24. board — a committee

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