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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: fall · firm · object · key · season · rush · hide · press

  1. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. firm — decided
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. object — a thing
  5. key — the most important part
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. press — newspapers
  8. rush — hurry
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. firm — steady
  12. key — for a lock
  13. fall — to drop
  14. object — an aim
  15. firm — a company
  16. key — in music
  17. press — a publisher
  18. press — to push
  19. fall — to drop
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. season — in sport
  23. fall — the season
  24. object — to protest

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