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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 dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. press — to push
  3. face — to point toward
  4. shower — rain
  5. foot — a measure
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. hand — in cards
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. face — to confront
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. vault — a safe
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. press — a publisher
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. face — part of the head
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. hand — help
  22. shower — to wash
  23. press — newspapers
  24. chair — a leader

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