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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: sharp · board · race · arm · pound · key · coach · hide

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. pound — a weight
  3. key — the most important part
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. board — to get on
  6. board — a committee
  7. race — humankind
  8. race — the arms race
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. sharp — clever
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. race — a contest
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. key — in music
  24. coach — a trainer

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