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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: deal · key · spell · root · bat · stick · press · object

  1. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. object — to protest
  4. key — for a lock
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. press — to push
  7. press — newspapers
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. object — an aim
  10. root — the cause
  11. bat — the animal
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. root — of a word
  14. key — in music
  15. spell — magic
  16. press — a publisher
  17. spell — a short time
  18. spell — letters
  19. root — of a plant
  20. key — the most important part
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. object — a thing
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. deal — to handle

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