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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. spring — of water
  5. degree — temperature
  6. bulb — for light
  7. press — newspapers
  8. land — to come down
  9. land — ground
  10. fine — all right
  11. present — a gift
  12. press — a publisher
  13. fine — high quality
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. spring — the season
  17. press — to push
  18. degree — an amount
  19. spring — a coil
  20. present — there
  21. bulb — for light
  22. degree — from a university
  23. present — the time now
  24. land — a country

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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