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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 120 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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  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. vault — a safe
  2. swing — music
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. drill — the tool
  6. rule — government
  7. press — a publisher
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. drill — a practice
  10. swing — in golf
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. rule — a law
  15. swing — to play on
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. rush — hurry
  21. press — to push
  22. pass — a permit
  23. drill — army training
  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