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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 116 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: cap · sharp · stand · bore · mine · board · key · cue

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. bore — to tire
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. cap — of ice
  5. cue — a hint
  6. stand — to bear
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. cue — for pool
  10. cap — a hat
  11. mine — for digging
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. bore — to drill
  14. sharp — clever
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. cue — a signal
  17. board — to get on
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. board — a committee
  20. key — for a lock
  21. key — in music
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. key — the most important part
  24. cap — a lid

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