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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: hand · key · tube · board · firm · fall · prune · fine

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. firm — decided
  3. board — to get on
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. firm — steady
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. key — in music
  8. hand — help
  9. fine — all right
  10. board — a committee
  11. fall — to drop
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. hand — in cards
  14. fall — to drop
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. fall — the season
  17. fine — high quality
  18. prune — to trim
  19. key — the most important part
  20. prune — to trim
  21. key — for a lock
  22. tube — the underground
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. firm — a company

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