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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: board · trunk · game · fine · ball · mark · cue · key

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. game — a match
  3. ball — a great time
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. mark — a grade
  7. cue — for pool
  8. key — for a lock
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. game — wild animals
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. mark — a trace
  14. ball — a dance
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. cue — a signal
  17. board — to get on
  18. fine — all right
  19. fine — high quality
  20. key — in music
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. board — a committee
  23. cue — a hint
  24. key — the most important part

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