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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 ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. press — newspapers
  3. key — for a lock
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. press — to push
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. tube — the underground
  9. race — humankind
  10. sharp — clever
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. race — a contest
  14. key — the most important part
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. court — of a king
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. court — for sport
  21. tube — a container
  22. race — the arms race
  23. key — in music
  24. press — a publisher

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