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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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. press — to push
  6. mate — a friend
  7. face — to point toward
  8. mate — a partner
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. mate — to breed
  13. face — to confront
  14. rush — hurry
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. press — a publisher
  19. press — newspapers
  20. vault — a safe
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. face — part of the head
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. perch — the fish

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