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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: key · bank · roll · board · swing · saw · kick · court

  1. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  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. court — of law
  2. key — in music
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. bank — for money
  7. bank — of a river
  8. bank — for money
  9. saw — the tool
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. swing — music
  12. court — of a king
  13. board — a committee
  14. kick — in football
  15. court — for sport
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. roll — a list
  18. saw — the tool
  19. key — for a lock
  20. board — to get on
  21. roll — a cake
  22. swing — to play on
  23. swing — in golf
  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