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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: press · key · stand · nail · dip · board · foot · cap

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. key — for a lock
  5. board — to get on
  6. stand — to bear
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. dip — to sink
  10. key — in music
  11. board — a committee
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. press — newspapers
  14. cap — a lid
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. cap — of ice
  17. press — a publisher
  18. cap — a hat
  19. foot — a measure
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. press — to push
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. key — the most important part
  24. nail — for a hammer

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