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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: mine · scale · trunk · press · arm · key · cabinet · mug

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. key — for a lock
  4. mine — for digging
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. mug — a cup
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. press — newspapers
  12. press — a publisher
  13. key — the most important part
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. key — in music
  17. scale — in music
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. mug — a face
  20. press — to push
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. scale — size or range
  24. mine — an explosive

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