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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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. band — a music group
  8. press — to push
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. pass — a permit
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. last — to go on
  13. last — finally
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. band — a ring
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. press — newspapers
  18. vault — a safe
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. last — final
  22. snap — to click
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. pitch — completely

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