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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.

Words on the sheet
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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. The water is too ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. key — the most important part
  4. spring — of water
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. perch — the fish
  7. press — newspapers
  8. cold — an illness
  9. press — to push
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. spring — the season
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. cold — not warm
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. cold — the Cold War
  16. key — in music
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. press — a publisher
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. key — for a lock
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. spring — a coil

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