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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 120 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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. key — for a lock
  4. key — in music
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. bulb — for light
  7. mate — a partner
  8. key — the most important part
  9. press — a publisher
  10. bulb — for light
  11. march — music
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. mate — to breed
  14. march — the month
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. press — to push
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. rock — music
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. stand — to bear
  22. press — newspapers
  23. mate — a friend
  24. rock — a stone

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