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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. press — a publisher
  6. press — to push
  7. swing — to play on
  8. pass — a permit
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. key — for a lock
  12. key — in music
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. swing — in golf
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. press — newspapers
  18. swing — music
  19. key — the most important part
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. pit — in a race
  24. bat — the animal

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