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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. key — for a lock
  3. pop — soda
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. key — the most important part
  6. press — a publisher
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. press — newspapers
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. press — to push
  11. chair — a leader
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. pop — music
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. board — a committee
  18. snap — to click
  19. key — in music
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. pop — to visit
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. board — to get on
  24. arm — a part of something

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