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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 116 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: field · object · key · deal · bowl · spring · rule · board

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. object — an aim
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. key — for a lock
  5. rule — a law
  6. field — for sport
  7. object — a thing
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. board — to get on
  10. board — a committee
  11. object — to protest
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. spring — a coil
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. field — farmland
  16. spring — the season
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. rule — government
  19. deal — to handle
  20. key — in music
  21. field — a subject
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. spring — of water

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