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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: coach · stick · hide · board · key · bore · cabinet · ball

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. key — for a lock
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. bore — to drill
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. board — a committee
  7. ball — a great time
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. bore — to tire
  11. ball — a dance
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. key — the most important part
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. key — in music
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. board — to get on
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. hide — to keep secret

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