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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.

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: fall · press · chip · key · stand · object · craft · pop

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  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 — for a lock
  2. pop — to visit
  3. stand — to bear
  4. fall — the season
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. fall — to drop
  7. key — in music
  8. press — to push
  9. pop — music
  10. fall — to drop
  11. press — a publisher
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. press — newspapers
  14. key — the most important part
  15. object — an aim
  16. craft — a skill
  17. object — to protest
  18. object — a thing
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. chip — for betting
  21. chip — to eat
  22. craft — boats
  23. pop — soda
  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