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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. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. bound — tied together
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. capital — a city
  6. branch — a division
  7. capital — money
  8. vault — a safe
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. bound — obliged
  11. bound — certain
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. press — a publisher
  14. pop — music
  15. cell — a phone
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. pop — to visit
  20. pop — soda
  21. cell — in biology
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. press — to push
  24. branch — of a tree

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