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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. file — a line of people
  3. file — a tool
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. press — newspapers
  7. court — of a king
  8. court — for sport
  9. press — to push
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. race — humankind
  12. wake — a trail
  13. court — of law
  14. race — a contest
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. craft — boats
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. file — a document
  20. press — a publisher
  21. race — the arms race
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. craft — a skill

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