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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 big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. press — a publisher
  3. cue — for pool
  4. bass — low music
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. chip — to eat
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. press — newspapers
  11. rest — what's left
  12. chip — for betting
  13. stem — to come from
  14. cue — a signal
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. press — to push
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. rest — a break
  20. vault — a safe
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. cue — a hint
  23. bass — the fish
  24. rest — what's left

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