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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 120 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. key — for a lock
  3. board — to get on
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. pit — a hole
  6. saw — the tool
  7. board — a committee
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. rock — music
  12. rock — a stone
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. branch — a division
  15. key — in music
  16. key — the most important part
  17. pit — in a race
  18. saw — past of 'see'

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