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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: pit · root · field · board · bound · charge · mouse · key

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. pit — in a race
  3. bound — certain
  4. pit — a hole
  5. key — in music
  6. charge — a price
  7. board — a committee
  8. field — farmland
  9. field — for sport
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. key — the most important part
  12. bound — obliged
  13. bound — tied together
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. root — of a plant
  16. root — of a word
  17. field — a subject
  18. board — to get on
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. charge — electricity
  21. root — the cause
  22. charge — in control
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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