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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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. cue — a hint
  6. press — a publisher
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. chip — to eat
  11. wound — an injury
  12. fine — high quality
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. cue — a signal
  16. fine — all right
  17. vault — a safe
  18. press — newspapers
  19. chip — for betting
  20. mine — for digging
  21. press — to push
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. cue — for pool

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