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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. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. court — of a king
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. fall — to drop
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. pass — a permit
  9. court — for sport
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. bound — certain
  12. press — newspapers
  13. bound — obliged
  14. pound — a weight
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. fall — the season
  19. bound — tied together
  20. press — to push
  21. press — a publisher
  22. vault — a safe
  23. fall — to drop
  24. pound — for dogs

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