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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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. rash — hasty
  5. bound — certain
  6. scale — size or range
  7. root — of a word
  8. press — to push
  9. rush — hurry
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. bound — tied together
  12. root — of a plant
  13. scale — in music
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. press — a publisher
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. vault — a safe
  20. bound — obliged
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. root — the cause
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. press — newspapers

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