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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 120 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 ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. press — to push
  6. cap — a lid
  7. suit — to fit
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. game — wild animals
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. rock — music
  12. kick — in football
  13. game — a match
  14. press — newspapers
  15. vault — a safe
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. cap — of ice
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. press — a publisher
  21. suit — in cards
  22. cap — a hat
  23. suit — clothes
  24. rock — a stone

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