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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: lie · stock · roll · key · board · object · shower · nail

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. object — to protest
  4. key — the most important part
  5. lie — to recline
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. stock — goods
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. object — a thing
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. board — to get on
  13. roll — a list
  14. key — in music
  15. roll — a cake
  16. shower — rain
  17. board — a committee
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. shower — to wash
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. stock — shares
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. object — an aim

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