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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 116 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: rule · lean · stand · board · key · ball · pound · staff

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. staff — a stick
  3. key — the most important part
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. ball — a great time
  6. key — for a lock
  7. lean — thin
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. board — a committee
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. pound — a weight
  12. ball — a dance
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. stand — to bear
  15. lean — to bend
  16. staff — employees
  17. rule — government
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. board — to get on
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. rule — a law
  23. staff — employees
  24. key — in music

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