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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: court · bank · foot · key · present · mate · board · suit

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. bank — for money
  3. suit — clothes
  4. mate — a partner
  5. key — the most important part
  6. present — there
  7. mate — a friend
  8. key — for a lock
  9. bank — of a river
  10. key — in music
  11. present — a gift
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. board — to get on
  14. present — the time now
  15. mate — to breed
  16. court — of a king
  17. foot — a measure
  18. bank — for money
  19. court — for sport
  20. suit — in cards
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. court — of law
  24. board — a committee

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