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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.

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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: plane · content · capital · key · club · wake · board · racket

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. key — for a lock
  4. board — a committee
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. capital — a city
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. key — in music
  12. key — the most important part
  13. board — to get on
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. club — for golf
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. wake — a trail
  18. content — happy
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. club — a group
  21. capital — money
  22. plane — a tool
  23. content — the amount
  24. club — for dancing

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