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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. bass — the fish
  8. kick — in football
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. tube — a container
  12. tube — the underground
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. rule — a law
  16. press — to push
  17. rule — government
  18. press — a publisher
  19. bass — low music
  20. press — newspapers
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. vault — a safe
  24. tube — in a tire

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