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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: sharp · key · game · pass · board · hide · court · mug

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. court — for sport
  6. pass — a permit
  7. key — in music
  8. sharp — clever
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. mug — a cup
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. board — a committee
  13. mug — to rob
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. key — the most important part
  16. game — a match
  17. board — to get on
  18. mug — a face
  19. game — wild animals
  20. court — of law
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. court — of a king

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