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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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. bore — to tire
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. press — a publisher
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. press — newspapers
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. capital — money
  16. vault — a safe
  17. bore — to drill
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. press — to push
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. rush — hurry
  24. capital — a city

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