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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 · last · can · shower · rush · bear · press · cue

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. shower — to wash
  4. shower — rain
  5. can — a tin
  6. key — the most important part
  7. key — for a lock
  8. last — finally
  9. cue — a signal
  10. rush — hurry
  11. last — to go on
  12. press — newspapers
  13. bear — the animal
  14. can — a tin
  15. key — in music
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. last — final
  18. cue — a hint
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. cue — for pool
  21. bear — the animal
  22. can — to be able to
  23. press — to push
  24. rush — to hurry

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