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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.

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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: fall · chip · temple · fan · key · rule · board · pound

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. fall — the season
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. fall — to drop
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. chip — to eat
  7. key — the most important part
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. pound — a weight
  11. board — a committee
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. rule — government
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. rule — a law
  21. board — to get on
  22. key — for a lock
  23. chip — for betting
  24. fall — to drop

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