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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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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. press — a publisher
  3. fork — in a road
  4. press — to push
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. bound — obliged
  7. rest — what's left
  8. can — a tin
  9. bound — tied together
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. can — a tin
  12. stem — to come from
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. press — newspapers
  17. can — to be able to
  18. rest — a break
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. vault — a safe
  22. bound — certain
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. wake — a trail

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