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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. key — the most important part
  3. press — a publisher
  4. pop — soda
  5. cell — a phone
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. craft — boats
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. press — to push
  11. pop — to visit
  12. press — newspapers
  13. bat — the animal
  14. pop — music
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. track — to keep track
  17. track — a path
  18. key — for a lock
  19. craft — a skill
  20. key — in music
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. bark — to shout
  24. track — a song

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