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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. land — a country
  4. fall — the season
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. march — music
  7. press — a publisher
  8. fall — to drop
  9. vault — a safe
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. press — newspapers
  12. fall — to drop
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. land — to come down
  15. press — to push
  16. pound — a weight
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. rush — hurry
  20. march — the month
  21. march — the month
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. land — ground

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