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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: foot · key · bore · capital · board · roll · lean · race

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. roll — a cake
  3. foot — a measure
  4. key — in music
  5. race — a contest
  6. board — to get on
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. capital — money
  9. board — a committee
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. bore — to drill
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. capital — a city
  15. race — the arms race
  16. key — the most important part
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. lean — to bend
  19. bore — to tire
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. lean — thin
  22. key — for a lock
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. race — humankind

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