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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. The water is too ________________.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. dip — to sink
  3. vault — a safe
  4. court — for sport
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. court — of law
  8. press — to push
  9. cold — not warm
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. press — a publisher
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. cold — the Cold War
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. press — newspapers
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. cold — an illness
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. toast — bread
  24. court — of a king

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