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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 120 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: fan · board · clip · present · key · squash · mate · track

  1. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — for paper
  2. board — to get on
  3. track — to keep track
  4. present — a gift
  5. board — a committee
  6. present — the time now
  7. mate — to breed
  8. mate — a partner
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. clip — a video
  13. squash — to crush
  14. key — for a lock
  15. track — a song
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. track — a path
  18. squash — the sport
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. key — in music
  21. mate — a friend
  22. clip — to cut
  23. present — there
  24. key — the most important part

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