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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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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. bat — the animal
  3. press — a publisher
  4. press — to push
  5. club — for golf
  6. fall — to drop
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. mark — a grade
  10. key — for a lock
  11. club — for dancing
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. press — newspapers
  14. club — a group
  15. key — the most important part
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. fall — to drop
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. mark — a trace
  20. bear — the animal
  21. bear — the animal
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. key — in music

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