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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: spring · ground · date · board · chip · safe · key · ball

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. spring — of water
  3. ground — crushed
  4. key — in music
  5. ball — a dance
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. date — the fruit
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. spring — a coil
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. board — to get on
  15. ground — the earth
  16. board — a committee
  17. ball — a great time
  18. chip — to eat
  19. spring — the season
  20. ground — a position
  21. key — for a lock
  22. chip — for betting
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. key — the most important part

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