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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  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. march — the month
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. dip — to sink
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. press — to push
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. track — to keep track
  9. press — newspapers
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. track — a path
  13. press — a publisher
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. perch — the fish
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. chip — to eat
  19. vault — a safe
  20. sharp — clever
  21. march — the month
  22. march — music
  23. track — a song
  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