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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 120 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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. bore — to tire
  3. race — a contest
  4. press — newspapers
  5. press — to push
  6. bore — to drill
  7. race — the arms race
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. pop — soda
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. court — of a king
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. court — for sport
  15. pop — music
  16. rock — music
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. press — a publisher
  20. rock — a stone
  21. race — humankind
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. court — of law
  24. pop — to visit

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