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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. lean — thin
  3. bank — for money
  4. pit — a hole
  5. key — the most important part
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. pit — in a race
  9. board — to get on
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. key — for a lock
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. board — a committee
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. key — in music
  18. press — newspapers
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. press — a publisher
  21. press — to push
  22. sharp — clever
  23. lean — to bend
  24. bank — of a river

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