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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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. press — to push
  4. rush — hurry
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. press — a publisher
  7. press — newspapers
  8. chair — a leader
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. wound — an injury
  12. staff — employees
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. board — to get on
  16. key — the most important part
  17. key — for a lock
  18. staff — employees
  19. key — in music
  20. staff — a stick
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. board — a committee
  24. board — a flat piece

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