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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: stick · coach · object · board · fan · bat · nail · fork

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. object — an aim
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. bat — the animal
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. object — to protest
  22. board — a committee
  23. fork — in a road
  24. board — to get on

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