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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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. press — a publisher
  3. scale — in music
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. saw — the tool
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. lean — thin
  8. scale — size or range
  9. can — to be able to
  10. saw — the tool
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. press — newspapers
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. lean — to bend
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. sharp — clever
  19. vault — a safe
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. can — a tin
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. can — a tin
  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