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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: chair · suit · key · dip · object · board · wake · capital

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. wake — a trail
  4. suit — in cards
  5. key — for a lock
  6. dip — to sink
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. capital — money
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. chair — a leader
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. suit — to fit
  15. suit — clothes
  16. object — to protest
  17. key — in music
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. object — an aim
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. capital — a city
  22. object — a thing
  23. board — to get on
  24. key — the most important part

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