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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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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: board · mug · ruler · key · ground · pitcher · bear · band

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. band — a music group
  4. ground — the earth
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. key — in music
  8. bear — the animal
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. ground — a position
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. bear — the animal
  14. band — a ring
  15. mug — to rob
  16. mug — a cup
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. board — a committee
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. key — the most important part
  21. ground — crushed
  22. key — for a lock
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. mug — a face

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