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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: board · object · nail · lie · fan · roll · pitcher · bore

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  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. bore — to tire
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. object — to protest
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. roll — a cake
  10. roll — a list
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. lie — to recline
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. bore — to drill
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. object — a thing
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. object — an aim
  21. board — a committee
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. board — to get on
  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