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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. sharp — clever
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. press — to push
  5. press — newspapers
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. press — a publisher
  11. key — in music
  12. cell — in biology
  13. bank — of a river
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. rash — hasty
  16. key — the most important part
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. key — for a lock
  20. rash — a series
  21. bank — for money
  22. cell — a phone
  23. bank — for money
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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