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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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. club — for dancing
  3. staff — employees
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. mug — to rob
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. mug — a cup
  8. chest — of your body
  9. vault — a safe
  10. club — a group
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. staff — employees
  14. club — for golf
  15. staff — a stick
  16. chest — of your body
  17. press — newspapers
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. press — a publisher
  20. chest — a box
  21. pass — a permit
  22. mug — a face
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. pass — to succeed

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