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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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. key — in music
  4. rest — what's left
  5. rest — what's left
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. key — the most important part
  8. key — for a lock
  9. spell — magic
  10. spell — letters
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. rest — a break
  13. spell — a short time
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. perch — the fish
  16. dip — to sink
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. press — a publisher
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. mine — for digging
  24. calf — a young animal

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