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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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. cue — a hint
  3. vault — a safe
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. board — to get on
  6. ball — a great time
  7. press — a publisher
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. cue — for pool
  10. tear — from crying
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. tear — to rip
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. tear — from crying
  16. ball — a dance
  17. press — newspapers
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. cue — a signal
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. board — a committee
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. press — to push

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