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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. press — newspapers
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. mine — for digging
  7. rest — a break
  8. last — to go on
  9. last — final
  10. capital — money
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. club — for golf
  13. rest — what's left
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. rest — what's left
  18. club — a group
  19. last — finally
  20. vault — a safe
  21. press — to push
  22. capital — a city
  23. press — a publisher
  24. club — for dancing

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