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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 120 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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Word bank
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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. key — for a lock
  3. saw — the tool
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. press — to push
  6. can — a tin
  7. chest — a box
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. key — the most important part
  10. chest — of your body
  11. press — newspapers
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. saw — the tool
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. can — to be able to
  18. press — a publisher
  19. can — a tin
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. key — in music
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. chest — of your body

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