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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 · dip · firm · stand · tear · fan · capital · nail

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. tear — from crying
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. firm — decided
  8. tear — from crying
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. board — to get on
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. capital — money
  15. stand — to bear
  16. board — a committee
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. firm — steady
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. dip — to sink
  22. tear — to rip
  23. capital — a city
  24. stand — on your feet

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