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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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. press — to push
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. pitch — completely
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. vault — a safe
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. press — a publisher
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. board — to get on
  14. board — a committee
  15. kick — in football
  16. press — newspapers
  17. current — happening now
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. current — of water
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. current — electric
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. stem — to come from
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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