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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 function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. press — to push
  3. fall — the season
  4. swing — music
  5. key — in music
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. vault — a safe
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. scale — in music
  10. swing — to play on
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. key — the most important part
  13. key — for a lock
  14. press — a publisher
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. fall — to drop
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. fall — to drop
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. swing — in golf
  21. scale — size or range
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. snap — to click
  24. mine — for digging

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