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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 120 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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. rock — music
  5. charge — in control
  6. field — for sport
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. staff — employees
  9. field — a subject
  10. board — to get on
  11. key — the most important part
  12. field — farmland
  13. charge — electricity
  14. key — in music
  15. bulb — for light
  16. rock — a stone
  17. charge — a price
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. staff — employees
  20. board — a committee
  21. dip — to sink
  22. bulb — for light
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. staff — a stick

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