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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
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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 · cap · rash · press · fine · mug · last · key

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. last — final
  3. key — in music
  4. key — the most important part
  5. rash — a series
  6. press — to push
  7. cap — a lid
  8. spring — the season
  9. fine — all right
  10. spring — a coil
  11. press — a publisher
  12. rash — hasty
  13. last — finally
  14. last — to go on
  15. key — for a lock
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. spring — of water
  18. mug — a cup
  19. mug — a face
  20. cap — a hat
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. fine — high quality
  23. cap — of ice
  24. mug — to rob

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