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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. band — a music group
  4. key — the most important part
  5. row — to paddle
  6. suit — in cards
  7. present — a gift
  8. press — to push
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. row — a line
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. key — for a lock
  13. present — the time now
  14. press — a publisher
  15. key — in music
  16. press — newspapers
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. suit — clothes
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. suit — to fit
  22. band — a ring
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. present — there

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