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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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. mug — to rob
  5. track — a path
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. foot — a measure
  8. mug — a cup
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. perch — the fish
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. rash — a series
  13. wind — moving air
  14. rash — hasty
  15. track — to keep track
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. press — a publisher
  18. press — to push
  19. vault — a safe
  20. press — newspapers
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. track — a song
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. mug — a face

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