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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. fine — all right
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. wake — a trail
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. roll — a cake
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. press — newspapers
  10. vault — a safe
  11. fine — high quality
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. pit — in a race
  15. press — a publisher
  16. pit — a hole
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. press — to push
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. roll — a list
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. ball — a great time
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. ball — a dance

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