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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. sharp — clever
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. march — the month
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. key — for a lock
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. pass — a permit
  9. key — the most important part
  10. board — to get on
  11. prune — to trim
  12. board — a committee
  13. press — to push
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. press — a publisher
  16. press — newspapers
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. march — music
  21. prune — to trim
  22. march — the month
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. racket — for tennis

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