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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. rock — a stone
  3. press — a publisher
  4. cap — of ice
  5. net — in sport
  6. key — the most important part
  7. key — for a lock
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. squash — the sport
  10. press — newspapers
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. rock — music
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. net — after costs
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. key — in music
  17. cap — a hat
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. cap — a lid
  23. squash — to crush
  24. press — to push

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