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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 kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. staff — a stick
  3. date — the fruit
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. staff — employees
  7. press — a publisher
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. press — to push
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. scale — in music
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. staff — employees
  14. key — in music
  15. press — newspapers
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. mark — a trace
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. prune — to trim
  20. scale — size or range
  21. key — for a lock
  22. prune — to trim
  23. key — the most important part
  24. mark — a grade

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