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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. press — to push
  3. wake — a trail
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. rest — a break
  6. rest — what's left
  7. press — newspapers
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. key — in music
  10. key — the most important part
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. key — for a lock
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. clip — for paper
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. rest — what's left
  20. clip — a video
  21. clip — to cut
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. press — a publisher
  24. wake — before a funeral

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