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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: spring · club · object · pass · mug · press

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. object — to protest
  3. spring — the season
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. press — newspapers
  6. mug — a face
  7. club — for dancing
  8. object — a thing
  9. mug — to rob
  10. press — to push
  11. mug — a cup
  12. spring — a coil
  13. spring — of water
  14. club — for golf
  15. pass — a permit
  16. press — a publisher
  17. object — an aim
  18. pass — to spend time

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