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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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. roll — a cake
  4. lean — thin
  5. key — in music
  6. key — the most important part
  7. firm — a company
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. press — to push
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. drill — a practice
  13. roll — a list
  14. firm — decided
  15. drill — the tool
  16. press — newspapers
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. key — for a lock
  19. press — a publisher
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. drill — army training
  22. firm — steady
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. lean — to bend

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