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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: bear · arm · key · object · ball · press · game · staff

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. press — to push
  4. key — for a lock
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. ball — a great time
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bear — the animal
  10. ball — a dance
  11. object — an aim
  12. staff — a stick
  13. staff — employees
  14. press — newspapers
  15. key — in music
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. game — a match
  18. object — to protest
  19. game — wild animals
  20. staff — employees
  21. press — a publisher
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. key — the most important part
  24. object — a thing

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