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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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. squash — the sport
  3. drill — the tool
  4. press — to push
  5. press — newspapers
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. race — a contest
  8. race — the arms race
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. squash — to crush
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. key — the most important part
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. key — for a lock
  15. staff — a stick
  16. toast — bread
  17. drill — army training
  18. press — a publisher
  19. drill — a practice
  20. stem — to come from
  21. staff — employees
  22. race — humankind
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. staff — employees

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