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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. press — newspapers
  5. last — final
  6. pop — soda
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. last — finally
  9. march — the month
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. march — the month
  13. tear — from crying
  14. last — to go on
  15. bulb — for light
  16. march — music
  17. press — a publisher
  18. pop — music
  19. vault — a safe
  20. tear — from crying
  21. key — in music
  22. pop — to visit
  23. key — for a lock
  24. tear — to rip

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