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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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. toast — bread
  6. scale — size or range
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. press — a publisher
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. press — to push
  13. staff — employees
  14. vault — a safe
  15. ball — a great time
  16. staff — a stick
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. press — newspapers
  19. ball — a dance
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. scale — in music
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. mouse — for a computer

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