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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: fall · dip · board · nail · safe · cap · lash · key

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. fall — to drop
  5. fall — to drop
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. key — for a lock
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. board — a committee
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. key — the most important part
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. key — in music
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. board — to get on
  20. dip — to sink
  21. fall — the season
  22. cap — a hat
  23. cap — of ice
  24. cap — a lid

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