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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. clip — a video
  4. lean — thin
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. clip — for paper
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. clip — to cut
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. rock — a stone
  13. press — newspapers
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. bear — the animal
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. hand — in cards
  18. lean — to bend
  19. hand — help
  20. bear — the animal
  21. press — a publisher
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. rock — music
  24. press — to push

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