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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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Word bank
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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. rest — what's left
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. face — to point toward
  7. rest — what's left
  8. face — to confront
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. vault — a safe
  11. press — a publisher
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. tube — the underground
  14. tube — a container
  15. press — newspapers
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. perch — the fish
  18. face — part of the head
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. rest — a break
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. press — to push
  24. bowl — to roll

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