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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. game — a match
  3. key — the most important part
  4. key — in music
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. land — ground
  9. game — wild animals
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. press — a publisher
  14. stand — to bear
  15. press — to push
  16. land — to come down
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. land — a country
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. key — for a lock
  23. press — newspapers
  24. game — a kind of play

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