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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: key · tube · board · last · bank · racket · mate · ball

  1. False peace will not ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. ball — a great time
  3. bank — for money
  4. board — a committee
  5. last — final
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. mate — a friend
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. last — finally
  11. mate — to breed
  12. board — to get on
  13. mate — a partner
  14. key — in music
  15. tube — the underground
  16. bank — of a river
  17. ball — a dance
  18. key — for a lock
  19. key — the most important part
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. tube — a container
  23. bank — for money
  24. board — a flat piece

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