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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.

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: mate · chip · key · nail · leaves · board · pitch · stock

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. board — a committee
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. key — the most important part
  8. stock — shares
  9. pitch — completely
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. mate — a friend
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. mate — to breed
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. board — to get on
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. chip — to eat
  20. mate — a partner
  21. stock — goods
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. chip — for betting
  24. key — in music

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