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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 old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. press — newspapers
  3. bound — obliged
  4. prune — to trim
  5. bound — tied together
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. kid — child
  8. vault — a safe
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. bound — certain
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. staff — employees
  13. staff — employees
  14. kid — to tease
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. prune — to trim
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. press — a publisher
  19. press — to push
  20. charge — electricity
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. charge — in control
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. charge — a price

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