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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: tube · court · jam · face · key · press · mug · branch

  1. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. press — to push
  3. face — part of the head
  4. court — for sport
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. face — to point toward
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. mug — a cup
  9. mug — to rob
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. key — in music
  12. press — newspapers
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. face — to confront
  15. branch — a division
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. key — for a lock
  19. tube — the underground
  20. tube — a container
  21. press — a publisher
  22. court — of law
  23. key — the most important part
  24. mug — a face

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