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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. pop — soda
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. game — wild animals
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. chest — of your body
  11. board — a committee
  12. game — a match
  13. pop — to visit
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. key — for a lock
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. chest — of your body
  18. key — in music
  19. pop — music
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. chest — a box
  23. board — to get on
  24. branch — a division

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