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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. wound — an injury
  4. tube — a container
  5. club — for dancing
  6. rash — hasty
  7. tube — the underground
  8. rock — music
  9. staff — a stick
  10. staff — employees
  11. key — in music
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. key — the most important part
  14. rash — a series
  15. key — for a lock
  16. staff — employees
  17. rock — a stone
  18. wound — an injury
  19. press — newspapers
  20. press — a publisher
  21. club — for golf
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. club — a group
  24. press — to push

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