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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.

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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: fine · trunk · object · mug · press · spring · key · pitcher

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. mug — to rob
  4. key — in music
  5. object — to protest
  6. fine — all right
  7. spring — a coil
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. object — a thing
  10. object — an aim
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. key — the most important part
  14. key — for a lock
  15. press — newspapers
  16. spring — the season
  17. fine — high quality
  18. press — to push
  19. press — a publisher
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. mug — a cup
  24. spring — of water

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