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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. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. cap — a hat
  3. vault — a safe
  4. press — to push
  5. wind — moving air
  6. wind — moving air
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. season — of the year
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. cap — of ice
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. shower — to wash
  13. bank — for money
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. season — in sport
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. shower — rain
  18. bank — of a river
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. cap — a lid
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. press — a publisher
  23. bank — for money
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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