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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: spring · rest · drill · press · net · key · ball · kick

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. rest — what's left
  3. key — in music
  4. spring — the season
  5. press — newspapers
  6. drill — a practice
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. ball — a great time
  9. key — for a lock
  10. drill — army training
  11. ball — a dance
  12. rest — what's left
  13. press — to push
  14. spring — of water
  15. spring — a coil
  16. net — for catching
  17. drill — the tool
  18. kick — in football
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. press — a publisher
  21. net — in sport
  22. key — the most important part
  23. net — after costs
  24. ball — a round shape

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