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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. staff — employees
  7. staff — employees
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. march — music
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. key — for a lock
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. press — to push
  14. press — newspapers
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. press — a publisher
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. march — the month
  19. march — the month
  20. pound — a weight
  21. key — in music
  22. staff — a stick
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. pound — to hit hard

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