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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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. net — for catching
  6. net — in sport
  7. net — after costs
  8. ground — a position
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. press — to push
  11. ground — the earth
  12. press — a publisher
  13. ground — crushed
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. cap — a hat
  16. cap — of ice
  17. bark — to shout
  18. vault — a safe
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. press — newspapers
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. cap — a lid
  24. bowl — a dish

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