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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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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 · mark · board · bat · lie · mouse · pitcher · current

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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 flat piece
  3. board — a committee
  4. bat — the animal
  5. mark — a grade
  6. key — the most important part
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. board — to get on
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. current — electric
  12. key — in music
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. current — happening now
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. current — of water
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. mark — a trace
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. lie — to recline

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