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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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. sharp — clever
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. press — to push
  7. rush — hurry
  8. chip — to eat
  9. lie — to recline
  10. chip — for betting
  11. court — for sport
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. press — newspapers
  16. court — of law
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. press — a publisher
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. vault — a safe
  22. court — of a king
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. sharp — with an edge

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