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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. key — in music
  3. press — newspapers
  4. stand — to bear
  5. track — a path
  6. key — the most important part
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. track — a song
  9. face — part of the head
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. pound — a weight
  14. key — for a lock
  15. wake — a trail
  16. face — to confront
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. lean — thin
  19. lean — to bend
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. track — to keep track
  22. press — to push
  23. press — a publisher
  24. face — to point toward

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