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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.

Make a worksheet

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: pitcher · board · calf · drill · present · cap · key · wound

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. present — there
  3. present — the time now
  4. key — for a lock
  5. board — to get on
  6. present — a gift
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. wound — an injury
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. key — in music
  12. board — a committee
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. cap — of ice
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. cap — a hat
  17. wound — an injury
  18. drill — the tool
  19. key — the most important part
  20. drill — a practice
  21. cap — a lid
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. drill — army training

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