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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 120 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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468
Word bank
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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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. stock — goods
  4. press — newspapers
  5. vault — a safe
  6. ball — a great time
  7. root — of a plant
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. press — a publisher
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. stand — to bear
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. stock — shares
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. rash — hasty
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. root — of a word
  20. rash — a series
  21. root — the cause
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. ball — a dance
  24. stand — on your feet

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