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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: nail · wax · content · stock · cap · fine · key · board

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. cap — of ice
  3. key — for a lock
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. content — the amount
  6. cap — a hat
  7. content — happy
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. wax — to grow
  12. stock — goods
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. key — in music
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. cap — a lid
  17. board — a committee
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. fine — high quality
  22. stock — shares
  23. key — the most important part
  24. fine — all right

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