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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 · bear · ball · hand · key · kick · mouse · can

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. key — in music
  3. can — a tin
  4. kick — in football
  5. ball — a dance
  6. key — for a lock
  7. key — the most important part
  8. bear — the animal
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. hand — help
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. hand — in cards
  16. bear — the animal
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. can — a tin
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. ball — a great time
  21. board — to get on
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. can — to be able to
  24. board — a committee

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