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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: bat · cabinet · ground · board · nail · mouse · key · root

  1. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. board — to get on
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. bat — the animal
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. root — of a word
  11. root — of a plant
  12. key — for a lock
  13. key — in music
  14. key — the most important part
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. ground — a position
  17. root — the cause
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. ground — crushed
  22. board — a committee
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. ground — the earth

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