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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.

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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: lean · nail · ground · spring · ball · bay · board · fan

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. spring — of water
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. ground — a position
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. ground — the earth
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. spring — the season
  10. lean — to bend
  11. lean — thin
  12. ground — crushed
  13. board — a committee
  14. ball — a dance
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. ball — a great time
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. spring — a coil
  23. nail — for a hammer
  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