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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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. key — the most important part
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. bore — to drill
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. mate — a partner
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. key — for a lock
  14. bore — to tire
  15. press — a publisher
  16. mate — to breed
  17. key — in music
  18. track — a path
  19. mate — a friend
  20. track — to keep track
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. press — newspapers
  23. pass — a permit
  24. track — a song

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