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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: game · board · rush · plane · present · press · wind · key

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  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. plane — a tool
  2. press — newspapers
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. board — a committee
  6. key — for a lock
  7. present — there
  8. key — in music
  9. press — to push
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. press — a publisher
  12. wind — moving air
  13. wind — moving air
  14. rush — hurry
  15. game — a match
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. game — wild animals
  18. present — a gift
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. board — to get on
  21. present — the time now
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. plane — an aircraft
  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