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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. mug — to rob
  4. tear — from crying
  5. object — an aim
  6. mate — a friend
  7. mate — a partner
  8. rock — music
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. press — a publisher
  11. vault — a safe
  12. press — newspapers
  13. mug — a cup
  14. rock — a stone
  15. mug — a face
  16. object — a thing
  17. press — to push
  18. tear — to rip
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. object — to protest
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. tear — from crying
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. mate — to breed

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