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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.

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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: fine · key · wake · press · suit · rock · dip · cabinet

  1. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. suit — in cards
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. press — to push
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. wake — a trail
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. key — the most important part
  10. fine — all right
  11. suit — to fit
  12. rock — music
  13. dip — to sink
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. press — a publisher
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. fine — high quality
  18. press — newspapers
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. suit — clothes
  21. rock — a stone
  22. key — for a lock
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. key — in music

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