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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. kick — in football
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. can — to be able to
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. bass — the fish
  7. bass — low music
  8. press — newspapers
  9. mug — a cup
  10. can — a tin
  11. craft — boats
  12. mug — a face
  13. rock — a stone
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. vault — a safe
  16. can — a tin
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. mug — to rob
  19. craft — a skill
  20. rock — music
  21. press — a publisher
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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