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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 120 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: fan · key · object · foot · mark · board · kid · content

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. foot — a measure
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. key — the most important part
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. mark — a trace
  9. object — a thing
  10. key — for a lock
  11. board — to get on
  12. kid — to tease
  13. kid — child
  14. mark — a grade
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. content — the amount
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. key — in music
  20. object — to protest
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. content — happy
  23. object — an aim
  24. foot — the bottom

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