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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: cue · wave · ground · stand · cabinet · bulb · key · board

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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. ground — crushed
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. cue — for pool
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. cue — a signal
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. cue — a hint
  12. bulb — for light
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. key — in music
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. ground — a position
  17. board — to get on
  18. key — for a lock
  19. key — the most important part
  20. stand — to bear
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. ground — the earth
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. bulb — for light

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