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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. press — to push
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. shower — rain
  10. shower — to wash
  11. prune — to trim
  12. prune — to trim
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. bore — to tire
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. bore — to drill
  17. press — a publisher
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. vault — a safe
  20. rash — hasty
  21. rash — a series
  22. press — newspapers
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. ruler — a monarch

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