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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 116 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. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. tube — the underground
  3. tube — a container
  4. key — in music
  5. press — newspapers
  6. key — for a lock
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. last — to go on
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. land — to come down
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. key — the most important part
  13. press — a publisher
  14. press — to push
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. fall — to drop
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. fall — the season
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. land — a country
  22. last — finally
  23. last — final
  24. fall — to drop

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