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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. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. mate — a friend
  4. press — a publisher
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. cell — a phone
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. bass — low music
  13. vault — a safe
  14. rush — hurry
  15. cell — in biology
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. mate — to breed
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. mate — a partner
  21. bass — the fish
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. press — to push
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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