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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: press · mark · fan · key · wind · safe · perch · board

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. press — to push
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. wind — moving air
  5. key — for a lock
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. mark — a grade
  10. mark — a trace
  11. press — newspapers
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. perch — the fish
  19. board — to get on
  20. key — the most important part
  21. wind — moving air
  22. board — a committee
  23. press — a publisher
  24. fan — a supporter

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