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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. lean — to bend
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. press — a publisher
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. press — newspapers
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. firm — decided
  14. rush — hurry
  15. firm — steady
  16. vault — a safe
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. lean — thin
  19. press — to push
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. pound — a weight
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. plane — a tool

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