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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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. tube — a container
  4. tube — the underground
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. press — to push
  10. fine — high quality
  11. fine — all right
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. dip — to sink
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. press — a publisher
  17. face — part of the head
  18. face — to point toward
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. vault — a safe
  21. face — to confront
  22. press — newspapers
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. fine — a penalty

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