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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 120 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 ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. charge — in control
  3. drill — a practice
  4. press — to push
  5. drill — army training
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. game — wild animals
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. cue — a signal
  10. stock — goods
  11. stock — shares
  12. charge — electricity
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. charge — a price
  15. press — newspapers
  16. deal — to handle
  17. cue — for pool
  18. vault — a safe
  19. cue — a hint
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. game — a match
  22. drill — the tool
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. press — a publisher

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