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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. cap — a lid
  3. press — to push
  4. ball — a great time
  5. cap — a hat
  6. object — to protest
  7. ball — a dance
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. spell — magic
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. game — a match
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. vault — a safe
  14. object — an aim
  15. object — a thing
  16. press — newspapers
  17. press — a publisher
  18. spell — letters
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. cap — of ice
  22. spell — a short time
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. game — wild animals

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