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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. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. court — for sport
  3. key — the most important part
  4. season — of the year
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. court — of law
  7. spring — a coil
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. press — a publisher
  10. press — to push
  11. pass — a permit
  12. court — of a king
  13. key — in music
  14. rest — what's left
  15. spring — the season
  16. key — for a lock
  17. spring — of water
  18. ground — the earth
  19. rest — what's left
  20. ground — a position
  21. ground — crushed
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. rest — a break
  24. season — in sport

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