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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. court — of a king
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. stand — to bear
  5. press — to push
  6. press — newspapers
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. season — of the year
  9. key — for a lock
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. hand — in cards
  13. tube — a container
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. court — for sport
  16. hand — help
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. tube — the underground
  19. season — in sport
  20. key — in music
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. key — the most important part
  23. court — of law
  24. press — a publisher

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