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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.

Make a worksheet

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: track · present · press · cabinet · pitch · club · key · staff

  1. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. track — a path
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. key — for a lock
  5. staff — employees
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. track — a song
  8. staff — a stick
  9. club — a group
  10. club — for dancing
  11. present — a gift
  12. present — there
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. present — the time now
  15. pitch — completely
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. key — in music
  18. track — to keep track
  19. staff — employees
  20. press — newspapers
  21. press — a publisher
  22. key — the most important part
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. club — for golf

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