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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: pit · key · cabinet · board · rush · wake · bowl · firm

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. firm — decided
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. pit — in a race
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. board — a committee
  7. pit — a hole
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. firm — a company
  10. firm — steady
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. board — to get on
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. wake — a trail
  17. rush — hurry
  18. key — the most important part
  19. key — in music
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. cabinet — ministers

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