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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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. rest — what's left
  3. board — to get on
  4. cue — for pool
  5. key — the most important part
  6. fine — high quality
  7. stem — to come from
  8. press — to push
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. rest — what's left
  11. press — newspapers
  12. fine — all right
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. rest — a break
  15. cue — a signal
  16. key — in music
  17. board — a committee
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. rush — hurry
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. press — a publisher
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. key — for a lock

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