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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: branch · mouse · coach · game · stand · present · press · key

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  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. mouse — the animal
  2. key — for a lock
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. branch — a division
  5. present — the time now
  6. present — a gift
  7. press — newspapers
  8. stand — to bear
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. present — there
  12. game — a match
  13. press — a publisher
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. press — to push
  21. key — in music
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. game — wild animals
  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