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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. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. press — to push
  3. band — a music group
  4. key — in music
  5. last — final
  6. pit — in a race
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. press — a publisher
  9. last — to go on
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. sharp — clever
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. band — a ring
  14. pit — a hole
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. stand — to bear
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. key — for a lock
  22. key — the most important part
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. last — finally

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