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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.

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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. press — newspapers
  5. press — to push
  6. present — the time now
  7. pitch — completely
  8. scale — in music
  9. wound — an injury
  10. present — a gift
  11. key — in music
  12. wound — an injury
  13. plane — a tool
  14. scale — size or range
  15. net — after costs
  16. present — there
  17. press — a publisher
  18. net — for catching
  19. net — in sport
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. key — the most important part
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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