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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 newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. fall — to drop
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. pit — a hole
  7. fall — to drop
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. fall — the season
  12. press — to push
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. pit — in a race
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. fork — in a road
  17. vault — a safe
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. press — newspapers
  20. perch — the fish
  21. foot — a measure
  22. press — a publisher
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. fork — to eat with

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