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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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. mug — a face
  3. suit — in cards
  4. pound — a weight
  5. press — newspapers
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. rash — a series
  8. suit — clothes
  9. vault — a safe
  10. suit — to fit
  11. cell — a phone
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. rash — hasty
  14. mug — to rob
  15. press — a publisher
  16. scale — size or range
  17. cell — in biology
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. mug — a cup
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. scale — in music
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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