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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 ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. land — ground
  4. press — to push
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. staff — employees
  7. rush — hurry
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. land — to come down
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. press — a publisher
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. vault — a safe
  14. land — a country
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. staff — employees
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. press — newspapers
  19. staff — a stick
  20. mine — for digging
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. rush — to hurry

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