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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: band · board · rock · present · capital · fan · key · lie

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. key — the most important part
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. capital — a city
  5. band — a ring
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. rock — music
  8. present — a gift
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. capital — money
  11. rock — a stone
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. present — there
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. present — the time now
  17. key — in music
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. board — to get on
  20. lie — to recline
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. key — for a lock
  23. board — a committee
  24. band — a music group

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