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

Word bank: press · temple · present · stick · deal · key

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. key — in music
  3. deal — to handle
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. present — a gift
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. press — newspapers
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. press — to push
  11. key — for a lock
  12. key — the most important part
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. present — the time now
  16. present — there
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. deal — a big deal

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