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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. game — wild animals
  4. key — the most important part
  5. key — in music
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. object — to protest
  9. current — of water
  10. branch — a division
  11. rule — a law
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. current — electric
  14. object — an aim
  15. row — to paddle
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. object — a thing
  18. rule — government
  19. current — happening now
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. row — a line
  23. key — for a lock
  24. branch — of a tree

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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