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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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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: drill · stand · board · fine · net · object · spell · cabinet

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. board — a committee
  3. net — after costs
  4. fine — high quality
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. net — in sport
  8. object — a thing
  9. object — an aim
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. spell — a short time
  12. spell — magic
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. board — to get on
  15. drill — army training
  16. net — for catching
  17. object — to protest
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. spell — letters
  20. fine — all right
  21. stand — to bear
  22. drill — the tool
  23. drill — a practice
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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