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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  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. kick — in football
  2. march — music
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. press — a publisher
  5. court — of a king
  6. press — newspapers
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. tube — a container
  10. vault — a safe
  11. mug — a cup
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. tube — the underground
  15. court — for sport
  16. pound — a weight
  17. court — of law
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. march — the month
  20. mug — to rob
  21. mug — a face
  22. march — the month
  23. press — to push
  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