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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: rock · press · key · mate · pit · roll · scale · hide

  1. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. press — a publisher
  4. mate — a friend
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. key — in music
  7. mate — to breed
  8. scale — in music
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. roll — a cake
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. key — for a lock
  13. rock — a stone
  14. press — newspapers
  15. pit — in a race
  16. rock — music
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. roll — a list
  21. pit — a hole
  22. scale — size or range
  23. press — to push
  24. key — the most important part

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