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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 currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. key — the most important part
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. bass — low music
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. key — for a lock
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. can — a tin
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. can — to be able to
  12. bass — the fish
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. sharp — clever
  17. key — in music
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. board — to get on
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. can — a tin
  22. chair — a leader
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. chair — to sit on

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