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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 116 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: board · key · wake · can · fan · swing

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. key — in music
  3. board — to get on
  4. key — the most important part
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. swing — in golf
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. can — a tin
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. swing — to play on
  11. can — a tin
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. can — to be able to
  15. swing — music
  16. key — for a lock
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. board — a committee

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