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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. press — newspapers
  3. snap — to click
  4. pitch — completely
  5. key — in music
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. game — a match
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. press — to push
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. game — wild animals
  22. press — a publisher
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. key — the most important part

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