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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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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: last · deal · cap · rush · board · bore · key · root

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. key — the most important part
  3. key — in music
  4. last — to go on
  5. cap — of ice
  6. root — of a plant
  7. root — of a word
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. last — finally
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. bore — to drill
  12. root — the cause
  13. bore — to tire
  14. cap — a lid
  15. board — to get on
  16. key — for a lock
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. deal — to handle
  19. cap — a hat
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. last — final
  24. rush — hurry

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