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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 116 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 seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. key — for a lock
  3. key — in music
  4. press — newspapers
  5. content — happy
  6. key — the most important part
  7. board — to get on
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. rash — a series
  10. content — the amount
  11. press — to push
  12. press — a publisher
  13. staff — employees
  14. staff — employees
  15. rash — hasty
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. board — a committee
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. staff — a stick
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. bear — the animal
  23. bear — the animal
  24. content — videos and posts

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