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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: board · stick · prune · saw · season · mug · race · key

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. key — for a lock
  4. race — a contest
  5. season — of the year
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. saw — the tool
  8. saw — the tool
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. key — in music
  11. season — in sport
  12. prune — to trim
  13. key — the most important part
  14. mug — a cup
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. board — a committee
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. mug — a face
  20. prune — to trim
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. race — humankind
  23. board — to get on
  24. race — the arms race

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