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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
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: tube · board · wake · key · dip · rule · land · pitch

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. tube — a container
  6. pitch — completely
  7. dip — to sink
  8. board — a committee
  9. land — to come down
  10. board — to get on
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. land — ground
  14. key — for a lock
  15. key — in music
  16. land — a country
  17. tube — the underground
  18. key — the most important part
  19. wake — a trail
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. rule — a law
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. rule — government
  24. rule — to rule out

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