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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
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: calf · key · pit · band · board · bound · cue · field

  1. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. band — a music group
  3. cue — a hint
  4. board — to get on
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. board — a committee
  7. bound — tied together
  8. key — for a lock
  9. band — a ring
  10. key — in music
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. pit — in a race
  13. cue — a signal
  14. cue — for pool
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. key — the most important part
  18. bound — certain
  19. field — farmland
  20. bound — obliged
  21. field — a subject
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. pit — a hole
  24. calf — of the leg

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