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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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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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. ball — a great time
  3. game — a match
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. press — a publisher
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. mark — a trace
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. key — in music
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. game — wild animals
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. ball — a dance
  16. press — newspapers
  17. key — for a lock
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. key — the most important part
  20. plane — a tool
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. mark — a grade

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