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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.

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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. key — the most important part
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. face — to point toward
  7. key — in music
  8. board — a committee
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. board — to get on
  11. charge — in control
  12. face — part of the head
  13. charge — electricity
  14. key — for a lock
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. face — to confront
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. charge — a price
  21. wake — a trail
  22. rush — hurry
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. wake — before a funeral

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