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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 120 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: nail · kid · root · board · wake · key · mark · court

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. root — of a word
  4. mark — a trace
  5. board — to get on
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. root — of a plant
  11. wake — a trail
  12. root — the cause
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. key — for a lock
  15. key — the most important part
  16. board — a committee
  17. key — in music
  18. mark — a grade
  19. court — for sport
  20. court — of a king
  21. kid — child
  22. kid — to tease
  23. court — of law
  24. mark — to pay attention

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