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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.

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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: mate · mark · press · stand · key · lie · game · mug

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. key — in music
  3. key — the most important part
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. press — to push
  6. game — wild animals
  7. key — for a lock
  8. mate — a partner
  9. press — newspapers
  10. mark — a trace
  11. stand — to bear
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. game — a match
  14. mate — a friend
  15. lie — to recline
  16. mug — to rob
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. mug — a face
  19. mate — to breed
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. press — a publisher
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. mark — a grade
  24. lie — an untruth

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