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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.

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
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: coach · object · ground · fan · arm · press · pit · key

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. ground — the earth
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. object — a thing
  7. ground — crushed
  8. press — to push
  9. object — to protest
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. key — for a lock
  12. ground — a position
  13. object — an aim
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. pit — in a race
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. pit — a hole
  20. key — the most important part
  21. press — newspapers
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. press — a publisher
  24. coach — a trainer

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