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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 don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. press — a publisher
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. dip — to sink
  5. saw — the tool
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. court — for sport
  8. press — to push
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. squash — the sport
  11. saw — the tool
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. vault — a safe
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. press — newspapers
  16. bass — low music
  17. court — of a king
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. squash — to crush
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. court — of law
  23. bass — the fish
  24. bass — the instrument

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