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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: capital · chip · court · cue · squash · key · stem · board

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. squash — to crush
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. cue — a signal
  8. chip — to eat
  9. court — of a king
  10. board — to get on
  11. chip — for betting
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. key — in music
  14. court — of law
  15. key — the most important part
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. key — for a lock
  18. capital — a city
  19. cue — a hint
  20. squash — the sport
  21. court — for sport
  22. stem — to come from
  23. cue — for pool
  24. capital — money

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