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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. bass — low music
  4. pass — a permit
  5. perch — the fish
  6. can — a tin
  7. press — to push
  8. bass — the fish
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. key — for a lock
  12. can — a tin
  13. press — newspapers
  14. can — to be able to
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. key — in music
  19. plane — a tool
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. press — a publisher
  24. sharp — clever

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