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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: suit · key · stick · deal · board · arm · game · charge

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. key — in music
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. suit — clothes
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. board — to get on
  7. charge — electricity
  8. board — a committee
  9. key — the most important part
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. charge — a price
  12. game — wild animals
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. suit — to fit
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. deal — to handle
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. game — a match
  20. charge — in control
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. suit — in cards
  23. key — for a lock
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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