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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. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. key — in music
  3. cell — in biology
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. key — the most important part
  6. bear — the animal
  7. rock — music
  8. rock — a stone
  9. press — a publisher
  10. bat — the animal
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. cell — a phone
  13. bear — the animal
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. press — to push
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. key — for a lock
  18. vault — a safe
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. rash — hasty
  22. rash — a series
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. rock — to move gently

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