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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. press — newspapers
  5. clip — for paper
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. vault — a safe
  8. rest — what's left
  9. clip — to cut
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. rest — a break
  12. key — for a lock
  13. key — the most important part
  14. lean — to bend
  15. press — a publisher
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. press — to push
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. rest — what's left
  22. clip — a video
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. key — in music

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