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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 speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. can — to be able to
  3. press — a publisher
  4. club — for dancing
  5. court — of a king
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. court — for sport
  10. press — newspapers
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. vault — a safe
  13. rule — government
  14. club — for golf
  15. prune — to trim
  16. can — a tin
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. prune — to trim
  19. can — a tin
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. court — of law
  22. rule — a law
  23. club — a group
  24. press — to push

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