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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. current — of water
  4. object — a thing
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. key — in music
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. object — an aim
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. press — a publisher
  11. lean — to bend
  12. current — electric
  13. key — the most important part
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. key — for a lock
  16. current — happening now
  17. press — to push
  18. board — to get on
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. press — newspapers
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. board — a committee
  24. lean — thin

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