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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 120 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: press · can · key · pound · wake · swing · drill · net

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. drill — the tool
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. drill — a practice
  5. swing — to play on
  6. press — a publisher
  7. net — after costs
  8. can — a tin
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. pound — a weight
  12. wake — a trail
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. net — in sport
  15. can — to be able to
  16. net — for catching
  17. can — a tin
  18. key — the most important part
  19. drill — army training
  20. press — to push
  21. key — in music
  22. swing — music
  23. press — newspapers
  24. swing — in golf

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