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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. vault — a safe
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. fine — all right
  5. press — newspapers
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. last — to go on
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. chip — to eat
  10. last — final
  11. last — finally
  12. deal — to handle
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. toast — bread
  15. press — a publisher
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. fine — high quality
  19. squash — the sport
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. squash — to crush
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. chip — for betting

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