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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. key — the most important part
  3. press — to push
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. key — for a lock
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. suit — clothes
  8. march — the month
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. suit — to fit
  11. bound — obliged
  12. press — newspapers
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. march — music
  16. march — the month
  17. bound — certain
  18. swing — music
  19. swing — to play on
  20. swing — in golf
  21. press — a publisher
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. bound — tied together
  24. suit — in cards

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