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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. wound — an injury
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. prune — to trim
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. swing — in golf
  8. pop — soda
  9. press — to push
  10. foot — a measure
  11. pop — to visit
  12. swing — to play on
  13. vault — a safe
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. wound — an injury
  17. press — newspapers
  18. swing — music
  19. prune — to trim
  20. press — a publisher
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. pop — music
  24. toast — bread

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