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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. spell — magic
  3. suit — to fit
  4. spell — a short time
  5. suit — in cards
  6. press — newspapers
  7. key — the most important part
  8. staff — a stick
  9. press — to push
  10. hand — help
  11. staff — employees
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. spell — letters
  14. press — a publisher
  15. suit — clothes
  16. staff — employees
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. key — for a lock
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. hand — in cards
  22. key — in music
  23. pit — in a race
  24. rush — hurry

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