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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: bore · wave · ball · board · fan · fine · nail · charge

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. bore — to drill
  7. charge — a price
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. board — a committee
  10. charge — in control
  11. fine — all right
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. board — to get on
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. ball — a dance
  18. ball — a great time
  19. fine — high quality
  20. charge — electricity
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. bore — to tire
  24. fan — a supporter

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