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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: scale · race · press · lean · racket · mine · date · key

  1. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. press — newspapers
  3. date — the fruit
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. race — humankind
  7. key — the most important part
  8. race — a contest
  9. race — the arms race
  10. lean — thin
  11. lean — to bend
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. scale — size or range
  15. scale — in music
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. press — to push
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. press — a publisher
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. key — in music
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. key — for a lock

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