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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: game · tube · mark · stick · board · key · dip · bay

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  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. tube — the underground
  2. game — wild animals
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. key — in music
  5. mark — a trace
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. tube — a container
  12. board — to get on
  13. key — the most important part
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. key — for a lock
  17. mark — a grade
  18. dip — to sink
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. game — a match
  23. mark — to pay attention
  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