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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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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. wake — a trail
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. dip — to sink
  5. rash — hasty
  6. swing — to play on
  7. key — in music
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. press — a publisher
  11. swing — in golf
  12. press — to push
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. content — happy
  15. content — the amount
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. press — newspapers
  19. key — for a lock
  20. rash — a series
  21. swing — music
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. dip — a sauce

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