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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
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: game · lash · coach · press · track · craft · key · bear

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. game — a match
  4. press — to push
  5. bear — the animal
  6. key — for a lock
  7. bear — the animal
  8. press — newspapers
  9. press — a publisher
  10. craft — a skill
  11. key — in music
  12. track — a path
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. craft — boats
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. track — a song
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. game — wild animals
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. track — to keep track
  24. craft — a handicraft

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