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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
468
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: trunk · stick · fan · bore · fine · key · board · object

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. key — the most important part
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. fine — high quality
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. object — to protest
  7. board — to get on
  8. bore — to tire
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. object — an aim
  15. object — a thing
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. bore — to drill
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. key — for a lock
  21. fine — all right
  22. key — in music
  23. board — a committee
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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