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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: board · bank · key · cap · season · ball · face · pass

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. cap — a lid
  3. ball — a dance
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. season — of the year
  7. season — in sport
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. face — part of the head
  10. ball — a great time
  11. bank — for money
  12. pass — a permit
  13. key — in music
  14. cap — a hat
  15. key — for a lock
  16. face — to confront
  17. cap — of ice
  18. key — the most important part
  19. face — to point toward
  20. bank — for money
  21. bank — of a river
  22. board — a committee
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. board — a flat piece

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