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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. squash — to crush
  3. march — the month
  4. press — newspapers
  5. key — for a lock
  6. key — the most important part
  7. deal — to handle
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. prune — to trim
  12. press — a publisher
  13. spell — a short time
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. march — music
  16. march — the month
  17. press — to push
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. squash — the sport
  20. spell — magic
  21. prune — to trim
  22. lean — to bend
  23. spell — letters
  24. lean — thin

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