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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. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. track — to keep track
  5. fine — all right
  6. track — a song
  7. last — finally
  8. board — a committee
  9. game — a match
  10. key — for a lock
  11. board — to get on
  12. key — in music
  13. press — newspapers
  14. fine — high quality
  15. press — a publisher
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. wake — a trail
  18. press — to push
  19. last — final
  20. track — a path
  21. key — the most important part
  22. last — to go on
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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