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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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. hand — help
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. press — a publisher
  5. press — to push
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. hand — in cards
  9. deal — to handle
  10. press — newspapers
  11. wind — moving air
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. dip — to sink
  14. mug — a cup
  15. wind — moving air
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. mug — to rob
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. mug — a face
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. vault — a safe
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. dip — to dunk

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