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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 116 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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. press — a publisher
  4. cue — a signal
  5. spell — letters
  6. cell — in biology
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. press — newspapers
  9. ground — a position
  10. ground — the earth
  11. spell — a short time
  12. vault — a safe
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. mate — a friend
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. cell — a phone
  18. spell — magic
  19. mate — a partner
  20. press — to push
  21. mate — to breed
  22. ground — crushed
  23. cue — a hint
  24. cue — for pool

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