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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 120 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. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. ball — a great time
  3. press — to push
  4. ball — a dance
  5. court — of a king
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. key — in music
  8. press — newspapers
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. suit — clothes
  12. spring — a coil
  13. suit — in cards
  14. court — of law
  15. suit — to fit
  16. court — for sport
  17. key — for a lock
  18. chip — for betting
  19. key — the most important part
  20. bat — the animal
  21. chip — to eat
  22. spring — of water
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. press — a publisher

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