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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.

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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: land · board · can · fall · fork · wave · chip · key

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. board — to get on
  4. fall — to drop
  5. fork — in a road
  6. land — a country
  7. can — a tin
  8. fall — to drop
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. fall — the season
  11. land — ground
  12. can — a tin
  13. key — for a lock
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. can — to be able to
  16. chip — for betting
  17. land — to come down
  18. key — the most important part
  19. chip — to eat
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. board — a committee
  22. key — in music
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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