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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. press — to push
  3. sharp — clever
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. can — a tin
  6. can — to be able to
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. shower — rain
  9. press — a publisher
  10. shower — to wash
  11. press — newspapers
  12. can — a tin
  13. vault — a safe
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. key — for a lock
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. key — in music
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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