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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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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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. press — a publisher
  3. board — a committee
  4. press — newspapers
  5. row — a line
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. key — the most important part
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. key — in music
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. key — for a lock
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. mate — a friend
  16. press — to push
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. pass — a permit
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. row — to paddle
  21. mate — to breed
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. board — to get on
  24. trunk — of a car

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