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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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. press — newspapers
  5. key — the most important part
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. key — in music
  8. hand — help
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. saw — the tool
  12. saw — the tool
  13. rest — what's left
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. hand — in cards
  17. court — of law
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. rest — a break
  20. court — of a king
  21. key — for a lock
  22. press — to push
  23. rest — what's left
  24. court — for sport

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