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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 120 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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. hand — in cards
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. hand — help
  5. press — a publisher
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. press — to push
  8. press — newspapers
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. key — the most important part
  11. key — for a lock
  12. capital — a city
  13. can — to be able to
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. vault — a safe
  18. key — in music
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. can — a tin
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. capital — money

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