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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. wound — an injury
  3. key — the most important part
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. lean — to bend
  7. press — newspapers
  8. lean — thin
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. capital — money
  11. capital — a city
  12. press — to push
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. key — for a lock
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. press — a publisher
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. object — an aim
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. object — a thing
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. wound — an injury
  24. object — to protest

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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