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

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. rest — what's left
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. key — the most important part
  5. press — newspapers
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. degree — from a university
  11. swing — in golf
  12. degree — temperature
  13. deal — to handle
  14. key — for a lock
  15. key — in music
  16. tube — the underground
  17. press — a publisher
  18. swing — music
  19. degree — an amount
  20. press — to push
  21. rest — what's left
  22. tube — a container
  23. swing — to play on
  24. fork — in a road

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