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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 120 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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. rock — a stone
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. press — newspapers
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. pop — soda
  7. key — for a lock
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. key — the most important part
  10. pop — to visit
  11. pop — music
  12. key — in music
  13. spring — the season
  14. spring — of water
  15. rock — music
  16. press — a publisher
  17. march — music
  18. march — the month
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. march — the month
  22. sharp — clever
  23. press — to push
  24. spring — a coil

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