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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: key · bay · club · wake · press · current · game · drill

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  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. game — wild animals
  2. key — in music
  3. current — electric
  4. current — of water
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. press — to push
  7. wake — a trail
  8. key — the most important part
  9. current — happening now
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. club — a group
  12. drill — the tool
  13. club — for golf
  14. drill — army training
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. game — a match
  17. press — newspapers
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. club — for dancing
  21. drill — a practice
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. press — a publisher
  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