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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. key — for a lock
  3. board — to get on
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. key — in music
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. cue — for pool
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. lean — thin
  11. cue — a signal
  12. lean — to bend
  13. shower — rain
  14. cue — a hint
  15. charge — in control
  16. rash — hasty
  17. rash — a series
  18. shower — to wash
  19. board — a committee
  20. charge — electricity
  21. wind — moving air
  22. key — the most important part
  23. wind — moving air
  24. charge — a price

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