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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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. chip — to eat
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. wound — an injury
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. vault — a safe
  9. root — of a word
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. toast — bread
  12. press — to push
  13. press — a publisher
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. wound — an injury
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. root — of a plant
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. press — newspapers
  22. root — the cause
  23. chip — for betting
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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