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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.

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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: key · press · last · spring · can · present · row · shower

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. key — the most important part
  3. row — to paddle
  4. press — newspapers
  5. present — there
  6. shower — rain
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. spring — a coil
  9. spring — of water
  10. press — to push
  11. last — final
  12. can — a tin
  13. present — a gift
  14. can — to be able to
  15. key — in music
  16. row — a line
  17. present — the time now
  18. shower — to wash
  19. press — a publisher
  20. key — for a lock
  21. can — a tin
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. last — finally
  24. last — to go on

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