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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: race · board · mouse · cabinet · spring · key · stock · arm

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. stock — goods
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. spring — of water
  7. key — for a lock
  8. race — the arms race
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. key — the most important part
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. board — to get on
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. race — humankind
  17. board — a committee
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. race — a contest
  20. key — in music
  21. stock — shares
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. spring — a coil
  24. board — a flat piece

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