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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  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. stand — on your feet
  2. object — an aim
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. object — a thing
  8. capital — money
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. key — for a lock
  11. capital — a city
  12. object — to protest
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. key — in music
  16. pass — a permit
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. stand — to bear
  20. press — newspapers
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. press — to push
  23. key — the most important part
  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