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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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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: hide · press · bass · content · key · mark

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. content — the amount
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. mark — a trace
  5. key — for a lock
  6. key — in music
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. mark — a grade
  9. press — to push
  10. press — newspapers
  11. bass — low music
  12. content — happy
  13. bass — the fish
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. press — a publisher
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. mark — to pay attention

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