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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. game — wild animals
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. key — in music
  5. board — to get on
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. rash — a series
  9. branch — a division
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. game — a match
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. rock — a stone
  15. rock — music
  16. squash — the sport
  17. key — for a lock
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. board — a committee
  21. squash — to crush
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. key — the most important part
  24. rash — hasty

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