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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 president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. object — to protest
  3. object — a thing
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. vault — a safe
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. press — to push
  9. press — a publisher
  10. root — the cause
  11. pit — in a race
  12. object — an aim
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. root — of a word
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. press — newspapers
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. pit — a hole
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. sharp — clever
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. root — of a plant
  24. squash — the sport

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