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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 124 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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. pit — in a race
  6. roll — a list
  7. kid — to tease
  8. vault — a safe
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. press — a publisher
  12. toast — bread
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. roll — a cake
  15. pit — a hole
  16. kid — child
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. band — a music group
  19. band — a ring
  20. press — to push
  21. pound — a weight
  22. press — newspapers
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. pound — to hit hard

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