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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 120 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: mate · game · key · rule · pass · current · stock · board

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. key — the most important part
  4. pass — a permit
  5. current — happening now
  6. game — wild animals
  7. stock — shares
  8. key — in music
  9. key — for a lock
  10. stock — goods
  11. mate — to breed
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. current — of water
  14. mate — a friend
  15. rule — government
  16. current — electric
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. game — a match
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. rule — a law
  22. board — to get on
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. mate — a partner

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