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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. court — for sport
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. vault — a safe
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. press — to push
  12. board — a committee
  13. root — of a plant
  14. board — to get on
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. press — newspapers
  17. root — the cause
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. court — of a king
  20. court — of law
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. root — of a word
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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