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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 116 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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. vault — a safe
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. clip — a video
  7. dip — to sink
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. press — newspapers
  10. bore — to tire
  11. can — a tin
  12. press — to push
  13. clip — for paper
  14. clip — to cut
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. can — to be able to
  19. bore — to drill
  20. press — a publisher
  21. can — a tin
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. chair — a leader
  24. chair — a professorship

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