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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  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. hide — animal skin
  2. object — a thing
  3. key — in music
  4. press — a publisher
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. press — newspapers
  8. march — music
  9. march — the month
  10. object — an aim
  11. pass — a permit
  12. key — for a lock
  13. march — the month
  14. press — to push
  15. object — to protest
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. pass — to spend time
  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