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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 ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  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. coach — a trainer
  2. bore — to tire
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. kick — in football
  5. saw — the tool
  6. saw — the tool
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. press — to push
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. press — newspapers
  11. capital — money
  12. capital — a city
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. board — to get on
  15. board — a committee
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. press — a publisher
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. bore — to drill
  22. vault — a safe
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  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