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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 ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. bound — obliged
  3. press — a publisher
  4. chest — of your body
  5. press — to push
  6. bound — tied together
  7. stand — to bear
  8. race — a contest
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. pass — a permit
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. bound — certain
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. vault — a safe
  17. race — the arms race
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. chest — a box
  20. chest — of your body
  21. press — newspapers
  22. race — humankind
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. stand — for spectators

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