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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: board · arm · capital · fine · fan · key · wake · pass

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. pass — a permit
  3. wake — a trail
  4. board — to get on
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. capital — a city
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. key — for a lock
  10. key — the most important part
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. fine — all right
  15. key — in music
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. board — a committee
  19. capital — money
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. fan — a supporter

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