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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 120 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: lean · bay · plane · bat · key · can · press · mate

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. can — a tin
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. key — for a lock
  5. press — to push
  6. mate — a partner
  7. plane — a tool
  8. mate — a friend
  9. key — in music
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. can — a tin
  12. lean — to bend
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. can — to be able to
  17. mate — to breed
  18. bat — the animal
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. key — the most important part
  21. press — a publisher
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. press — newspapers

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