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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. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  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. field — farmland
  2. deal — to handle
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. press — a publisher
  5. toast — bread
  6. chest — of your body
  7. field — for sport
  8. chest — a box
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. press — to push
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. chest — of your body
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. vault — a safe
  17. press — newspapers
  18. field — a subject
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. dip — to sink
  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