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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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. current — electric
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. bat — the animal
  6. press — newspapers
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. foot — a measure
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. rest — what's left
  14. current — happening now
  15. ball — a dance
  16. press — to push
  17. rest — a break
  18. current — of water
  19. rest — what's left
  20. ball — a great time
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. vault — a safe
  23. tube — a container
  24. tube — the underground

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