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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.

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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 pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. The water is too ________________.
  8. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. vault — a safe
  3. spell — a short time
  4. press — newspapers
  5. press — to push
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. cold — not warm
  8. cold — an illness
  9. season — in sport
  10. spell — magic
  11. cue — for pool
  12. season — of the year
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. stand — to bear
  16. cold — the Cold War
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. press — a publisher
  20. spell — letters
  21. game — a match
  22. cue — a signal
  23. cue — a hint
  24. season — to add flavour

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