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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.

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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. game — wild animals
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. press — to push
  5. ball — a dance
  6. press — newspapers
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. vault — a safe
  9. ball — a great time
  10. firm — steady
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. firm — decided
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. firm — a company
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. press — a publisher

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