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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: chest · key · rest · suit · board · present · game · stand

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. board — to get on
  3. board — a committee
  4. suit — clothes
  5. present — a gift
  6. key — the most important part
  7. rest — what's left
  8. chest — of your body
  9. chest — of your body
  10. rest — a break
  11. key — in music
  12. stand — to bear
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. key — for a lock
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. game — wild animals
  17. chest — a box
  18. present — the time now
  19. suit — in cards
  20. rest — what's left
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. suit — to fit
  24. present — there

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