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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. court — of a king
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. prune — to trim
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. rash — hasty
  8. press — a publisher
  9. court — of law
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. press — to push
  13. bear — the animal
  14. prune — to trim
  15. bear — the animal
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. court — for sport
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. rash — a series
  20. press — newspapers
  21. ball — a dance
  22. ball — a great time
  23. vault — a safe
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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