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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 party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. press — a publisher
  5. sharp — clever
  6. stand — to bear
  7. press — newspapers
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. press — to push
  10. roll — a cake
  11. roll — a list
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. vault — a safe
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. rash — hasty
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. sharp — exactly

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