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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: file · board · spring · rock · object · sharp · fan · mine

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. rock — a stone
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. file — a document
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. object — to protest
  8. mine — for digging
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. board — a committee
  11. rock — music
  12. file — a tool
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. spring — of water
  15. object — an aim
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. spring — the season
  18. board — to get on
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. file — a line of people
  21. sharp — clever
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. spring — a coil

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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