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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. present — a gift
  4. dip — to sink
  5. object — to protest
  6. press — a publisher
  7. cap — a hat
  8. cap — of ice
  9. object — a thing
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. object — an aim
  15. vault — a safe
  16. cap — a lid
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. press — newspapers
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. press — to push
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. present — the time now

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