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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. There's no middle ________________.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. key — the most important part
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. mate — a partner
  7. key — in music
  8. fine — high quality
  9. press — to push
  10. mate — to breed
  11. bank — of a river
  12. bank — for money
  13. fine — all right
  14. press — newspapers
  15. key — for a lock
  16. date — the fruit
  17. mate — a friend
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. press — a publisher
  20. ground — crushed
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. ground — the earth
  23. bank — for money
  24. pitcher — a jug

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