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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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Word bank
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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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. key — for a lock
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. can — to be able to
  5. stand — to bear
  6. game — wild animals
  7. can — a tin
  8. ball — a dance
  9. game — a match
  10. press — newspapers
  11. branch — a division
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. can — a tin
  15. key — the most important part
  16. press — to push
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. press — a publisher
  20. ball — a great time
  21. key — in music
  22. pitch — completely
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. branch — of a bank

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