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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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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: firm · lie · bound · board · current · tube · ball · key

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. bound — tied together
  3. key — the most important part
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. board — to get on
  6. key — for a lock
  7. tube — a container
  8. tube — the underground
  9. bound — certain
  10. bound — obliged
  11. board — a committee
  12. key — in music
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. firm — a company
  15. current — electric
  16. firm — steady
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. lie — to recline
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. ball — a great time
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. current — happening now
  23. ball — a dance
  24. firm — decided

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