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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. net — in sport
  5. net — after costs
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. toast — bread
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. deal — to handle
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. press — newspapers
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. net — for catching
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. vault — a safe
  21. press — to push
  22. press — a publisher
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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