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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. chair — a leader
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. press — newspapers
  7. rock — a stone
  8. rush — hurry
  9. root — of a word
  10. can — a tin
  11. press — to push
  12. root — the cause
  13. can — to be able to
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. can — a tin
  16. hand — in cards
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. press — a publisher
  20. vault — a safe
  21. root — of a plant
  22. rock — music
  23. hand — help
  24. rush — a thrill

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