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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. craft — a skill
  4. bank — of a river
  5. content — the amount
  6. craft — boats
  7. bank — for money
  8. key — for a lock
  9. spring — of water
  10. can — a tin
  11. spring — the season
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. press — newspapers
  14. bank — for money
  15. spring — a coil
  16. can — to be able to
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. press — to push
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. press — a publisher
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. can — a tin
  23. content — happy
  24. key — in music

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