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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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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. spring — of water
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. spell — letters
  6. spring — a coil
  7. key — the most important part
  8. spell — magic
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. swing — music
  11. press — a publisher
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. press — to push
  14. can — to be able to
  15. key — in music
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. swing — to play on
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. spring — the season
  20. key — for a lock
  21. press — newspapers
  22. can — a tin
  23. spell — a short time
  24. swing — in golf

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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