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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 office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. saw — the tool
  4. bass — the fish
  5. track — a song
  6. bass — low music
  7. season — of the year
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. press — newspapers
  10. track — to keep track
  11. saw — the tool
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. track — a path
  15. season — in sport
  16. press — to push
  17. vault — a safe
  18. staff — employees
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. press — a publisher
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. staff — a stick

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