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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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. bear — the animal
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. drill — a practice
  5. mate — a partner
  6. drill — the tool
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. drill — army training
  11. club — for golf
  12. club — for dancing
  13. mate — a friend
  14. cell — a phone
  15. press — a publisher
  16. bear — the animal
  17. key — in music
  18. press — newspapers
  19. press — to push
  20. key — the most important part
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. mate — to breed
  23. key — for a lock
  24. cell — in biology

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