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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: band · spell · key · bank · board · cabinet · cap · ball

  1. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. key — in music
  3. ball — a great time
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. board — to get on
  6. spell — magic
  7. cap — a lid
  8. key — the most important part
  9. ball — a dance
  10. cap — of ice
  11. bank — for money
  12. band — a music group
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. board — a committee
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. spell — a short time
  17. key — for a lock
  18. spell — letters
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. bank — for money
  22. bank — of a river
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. cap — a hat

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