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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 120 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. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. press — newspapers
  4. spring — of water
  5. press — a publisher
  6. current — electric
  7. kick — in football
  8. press — to push
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. band — a music group
  11. current — happening now
  12. sharp — clever
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. spring — the season
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. spring — a coil
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. vault — a safe
  23. band — a ring
  24. current — of water

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