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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 train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. press — to push
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. bass — low music
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. stock — goods
  11. bass — the fish
  12. snap — to click
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. stock — shares
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. stand — to bear
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. vault — a safe
  21. press — a publisher
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. press — newspapers
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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