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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: stick · ball · land · pitcher · key · arm · board · bass

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. key — the most important part
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. bass — the fish
  9. bass — low music
  10. key — in music
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. board — to get on
  13. land — a country
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. board — a committee
  16. land — ground
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. key — for a lock
  19. ball — a dance
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. ball — a great time
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. land — to come down
  24. pitcher — a jug

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