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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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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. saw — the tool
  3. mark — a grade
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. key — the most important part
  7. object — an aim
  8. key — for a lock
  9. mark — a trace
  10. press — a publisher
  11. press — newspapers
  12. press — to push
  13. content — happy
  14. content — the amount
  15. saw — the tool
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. rock — a stone
  19. key — in music
  20. rock — music
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. object — to protest
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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