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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 116 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: shower · cue · saw · pop · pitcher · key · press · stand

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. cue — for pool
  3. press — newspapers
  4. pop — soda
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. shower — to wash
  7. shower — rain
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. cue — a signal
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. key — for a lock
  14. stand — to bear
  15. saw — the tool
  16. press — to push
  17. key — in music
  18. press — a publisher
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. pop — music
  21. cue — a hint
  22. pop — to visit
  23. saw — the tool
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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