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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. pass — a permit
  4. march — music
  5. board — to get on
  6. key — in music
  7. rash — a series
  8. mate — a partner
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. march — the month
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. deal — to handle
  15. board — a committee
  16. wind — moving air
  17. march — the month
  18. mate — a friend
  19. key — the most important part
  20. wind — moving air
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. mate — to breed
  23. rash — hasty
  24. deal — a big deal

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