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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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. craft — a skill
  3. press — newspapers
  4. face — to confront
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. rock — music
  8. fine — high quality
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. ball — a dance
  11. craft — boats
  12. hand — in cards
  13. face — part of the head
  14. ball — a great time
  15. fine — all right
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. vault — a safe
  18. hand — help
  19. press — a publisher
  20. face — to point toward
  21. rock — a stone
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. hand — part of the body

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