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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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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: mark · mine · bowl · branch · kick · board · key · cue

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. cue — for pool
  3. mark — a grade
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. kick — in football
  6. board — a committee
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. key — in music
  9. board — to get on
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. branch — a division
  12. cue — a signal
  13. key — for a lock
  14. mine — for digging
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. key — the most important part
  19. cue — a hint
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. kick — a thrill

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