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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

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

  1. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. race — humankind
  4. race — the arms race
  5. toast — bread
  6. press — newspapers
  7. key — for a lock
  8. rule — government
  9. key — in music
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. press — a publisher
  12. race — a contest
  13. rule — a law
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. press — to push
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. 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