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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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. pass — a permit
  4. rash — a series
  5. board — to get on
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. dip — to sink
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. file — a tool
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. rash — hasty
  12. board — a committee
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. press — to push
  15. roll — a list
  16. file — a document
  17. press — a publisher
  18. roll — a cake
  19. vault — a safe
  20. file — a line of people
  21. press — newspapers
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. roll — on a roll

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