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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 116 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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Word bank
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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. object — a thing
  3. key — for a lock
  4. season — of the year
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. key — in music
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. press — a publisher
  10. season — in sport
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. spell — magic
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. object — an aim
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. spell — a short time
  19. key — the most important part
  20. press — newspapers
  21. spell — letters
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. branch — a division
  24. object — to protest

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