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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 120 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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. vault — a safe
  6. pound — a weight
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. spell — letters
  11. suit — in cards
  12. spell — a short time
  13. suit — clothes
  14. clip — to cut
  15. spell — magic
  16. clip — for paper
  17. wake — a trail
  18. clip — a video
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. suit — to fit
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. press — a publisher
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. press — to push

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