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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. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. ball — a great time
  3. clip — for paper
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. staff — employees
  6. staff — a stick
  7. press — a publisher
  8. swing — in golf
  9. fine — high quality
  10. fine — all right
  11. ball — a dance
  12. clip — to cut
  13. clip — a video
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. swing — to play on
  16. craft — boats
  17. vault — a safe
  18. swing — music
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. staff — employees
  22. craft — a skill
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. press — to push

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