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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. key — in music
  3. can — a tin
  4. press — to push
  5. face — to point toward
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. press — newspapers
  8. can — to be able to
  9. key — the most important part
  10. can — a tin
  11. key — for a lock
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. press — a publisher
  15. scale — in music
  16. scale — size or range
  17. face — part of the head
  18. face — to confront
  19. pit — a hole
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. pit — in a race
  22. stem — to come from
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. stem — of a plant

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