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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 father caught me by the ________________.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. mug — a cup
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. press — newspapers
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. season — of the year
  7. fall — to drop
  8. tear — from crying
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. season — in sport
  11. mug — to rob
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. fall — to drop
  14. fall — the season
  15. press — a publisher
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. press — to push
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. vault — a safe
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. tear — to rip
  22. mine — for digging
  23. tear — from crying
  24. mug — a face

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