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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
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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 · clip · leaves · board · nail · key · straw · bay

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. clip — a video
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. clip — for paper
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. key — for a lock
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. board — a committee
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. board — to get on
  16. clip — to cut
  17. key — the most important part
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. key — in music
  24. fan — to cool the air

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