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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: deal · wake · can · key · fine · last · shower · board

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. shower — rain
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. last — to go on
  5. can — to be able to
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. board — a committee
  8. board — to get on
  9. wake — a trail
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. deal — to handle
  12. last — final
  13. key — for a lock
  14. key — the most important part
  15. fine — all right
  16. key — in music
  17. can — a tin
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. last — finally
  20. fine — high quality
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. shower — to wash
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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