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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 still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. band — a ring
  3. key — the most important part
  4. charge — electricity
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. board — to get on
  7. lean — to bend
  8. band — a music group
  9. key — for a lock
  10. lean — thin
  11. charge — a price
  12. ground — a position
  13. ground — the earth
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. charge — in control
  16. board — a committee
  17. ground — crushed
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. snap — to click
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. band — a rubber band

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