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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 116 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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. court — of a king
  3. key — for a lock
  4. key — in music
  5. press — a publisher
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. mark — a trace
  10. bore — to tire
  11. mark — a grade
  12. staff — employees
  13. court — of law
  14. court — for sport
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. staff — a stick
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. press — newspapers
  19. lean — to bend
  20. lean — thin
  21. bore — to drill
  22. key — the most important part
  23. staff — employees
  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