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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 116 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 ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. key — the most important part
  3. last — final
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. wake — a trail
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. key — for a lock
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. press — to push
  15. key — in music
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. press — newspapers
  18. press — a publisher
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. last — to go on
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. last — finally

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