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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. key — the most important part
  3. rock — music
  4. suit — in cards
  5. court — of law
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. suit — clothes
  10. press — to push
  11. press — a publisher
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. key — in music
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. rock — a stone
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. suit — to fit
  19. key — for a lock
  20. press — newspapers
  21. court — for sport
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. court — of a king
  24. rock — to move gently

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