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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 116 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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Word bank
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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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. press — newspapers
  4. tube — a container
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. content — happy
  7. suit — clothes
  8. wound — an injury
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. vault — a safe
  11. suit — to fit
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. key — for a lock
  14. content — the amount
  15. tube — the underground
  16. press — a publisher
  17. wound — an injury
  18. cue — a signal
  19. key — the most important part
  20. key — in music
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. cue — a hint
  23. cue — for pool
  24. suit — in cards

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