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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 116 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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. dip — to sink
  4. mug — a cup
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. mug — to rob
  7. press — to push
  8. press — a publisher
  9. mine — for digging
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. cue — a hint
  12. cue — a signal
  13. cue — for pool
  14. saw — the tool
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. mug — a face
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. vault — a safe
  22. press — newspapers
  23. saw — the tool
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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