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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. row — to paddle
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. press — to push
  6. race — the arms race
  7. press — newspapers
  8. board — to get on
  9. fall — to drop
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. key — for a lock
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. race — humankind
  15. fall — to drop
  16. press — a publisher
  17. board — a committee
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. race — a contest
  20. row — a line
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. key — the most important part
  23. fall — the season
  24. trunk — of a tree

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