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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: key · suit · board · race · temple · object · nail · coach

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. suit — to fit
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. race — the arms race
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. object — to protest
  9. object — an aim
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. suit — in cards
  14. key — in music
  15. key — for a lock
  16. race — a contest
  17. board — to get on
  18. object — a thing
  19. race — humankind
  20. suit — clothes
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. key — the most important part
  24. coach — a trainer

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