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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 120 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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. mark — a trace
  4. key — in music
  5. rock — music
  6. press — to push
  7. key — for a lock
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. wound — an injury
  10. last — to go on
  11. press — a publisher
  12. last — final
  13. mark — a grade
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. wound — an injury
  16. cell — a phone
  17. key — the most important part
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. rock — a stone
  20. band — a ring
  21. last — finally
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. cell — in biology
  24. band — a music group

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