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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. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. vault — a safe
  3. stock — shares
  4. can — a tin
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. ball — a great time
  10. last — finally
  11. mug — a cup
  12. stock — goods
  13. mug — to rob
  14. lean — thin
  15. can — a tin
  16. mug — a face
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. press — newspapers
  19. last — to go on
  20. press — a publisher
  21. ball — a dance
  22. lean — to bend
  23. press — to push
  24. can — to be able to

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