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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 ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. press — to push
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. vault — a safe
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. press — a publisher
  10. mark — a trace
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. saw — the tool
  13. mark — a grade
  14. saw — the tool
  15. press — newspapers
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. charge — electricity
  18. charge — in control
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. charge — a price
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. pound — a weight
  24. trunk — of a tree

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