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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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: suit · board · wound · key · staff · fan

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. suit — clothes
  4. board — to get on
  5. suit — to fit
  6. suit — in cards
  7. staff — employees
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. key — for a lock
  10. key — the most important part
  11. wound — an injury
  12. wound — an injury
  13. board — a committee
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. staff — a stick
  16. key — in music
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. staff — employees

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