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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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. wind — moving air
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. press — newspapers
  7. wind — moving air
  8. rash — a series
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. lie — to recline
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. mug — a cup
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. mug — a face
  15. press — a publisher
  16. object — a thing
  17. press — to push
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. vault — a safe
  20. object — to protest
  21. object — an aim
  22. mug — to rob
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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