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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 116 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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. press — to push
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. vault — a safe
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. suit — to fit
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. lean — to bend
  11. drill — a practice
  12. drill — army training
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. suit — in cards
  15. firm — a company
  16. suit — clothes
  17. firm — decided
  18. press — newspapers
  19. press — a publisher
  20. firm — steady
  21. kid — to tease
  22. drill — the tool
  23. kid — child
  24. lean — thin

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