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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: capital · fine · bore · board · suit · file · dip · key

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. board — a committee
  4. board — to get on
  5. bore — to tire
  6. fine — high quality
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. key — in music
  9. fine — all right
  10. capital — money
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. bore — to drill
  13. key — the most important part
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. file — a line of people
  16. dip — to sink
  17. key — for a lock
  18. suit — to fit
  19. capital — a city
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. suit — in cards
  22. file — a document
  23. suit — clothes
  24. file — a tool

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