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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 116 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: can · trunk · fall · fan · key · board · rest · ball

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. can — a tin
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. rest — a break
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. board — a committee
  8. ball — a dance
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. key — in music
  11. can — a tin
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. key — the most important part
  14. can — to be able to
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. ball — a great time
  17. rest — what's left
  18. fall — the season
  19. rest — what's left
  20. key — for a lock
  21. fall — to drop
  22. board — to get on
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. ball — a round shape

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