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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.

Make a worksheet

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 haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  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. racket — for tennis
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. current — happening now
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. branch — a division
  8. key — the most important part
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. key — in music
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. board — a committee
  13. current — of water
  14. board — to get on
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. sharp — clever
  22. current — electric
  23. branch — of a bank
  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