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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: key · file · lean · pitcher · arm · fan · board · cap

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. lean — to bend
  4. file — a document
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. board — a committee
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. cap — a hat
  14. key — the most important part
  15. file — a line of people
  16. key — for a lock
  17. file — a tool
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. lean — thin
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. cap — a lid
  22. board — to get on
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. cap — of ice

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