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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. key — the most important part
  3. press — a publisher
  4. rock — music
  5. ball — a dance
  6. swing — to play on
  7. swing — music
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. degree — an amount
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. degree — temperature
  12. rock — a stone
  13. key — for a lock
  14. swing — in golf
  15. degree — from a university
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. chip — for betting
  18. key — in music
  19. press — to push
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. ball — a great time
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. press — newspapers
  24. chip — to eat

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