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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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. staff — a stick
  3. key — the most important part
  4. mark — a trace
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. key — in music
  9. object — an aim
  10. foot — a measure
  11. key — for a lock
  12. press — to push
  13. object — to protest
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. object — a thing
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. mark — a grade
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. press — newspapers
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. press — a publisher
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. staff — employees
  24. hide — to keep secret

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