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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: pass · spell · rock · press · bulb · straw · key · lie

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. lie — to recline
  5. key — the most important part
  6. press — to push
  7. rock — a stone
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. spell — magic
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. press — a publisher
  12. pass — a permit
  13. key — for a lock
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. rock — music
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. bulb — for light
  21. press — newspapers
  22. spell — letters
  23. bulb — for light
  24. spell — a short time

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