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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.

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: pop · fine · board · game · can · nail · leaves · spring

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. can — a tin
  4. can — to be able to
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. spring — of water
  8. spring — the season
  9. pop — soda
  10. board — a committee
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. can — a tin
  13. game — wild animals
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. fine — all right
  18. pop — to visit
  19. board — to get on
  20. fine — high quality
  21. game — a match
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. spring — a coil
  24. pop — music

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