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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: perch · key · calf · board · mouse · nail · land · court

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. key — the most important part
  4. court — of law
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. land — ground
  7. land — a country
  8. board — to get on
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. court — for sport
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. key — for a lock
  13. board — a committee
  14. perch — the fish
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. court — of a king
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. land — to come down
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. key — in music

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