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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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. dip — to sink
  3. bank — for money
  4. press — a publisher
  5. bulb — for light
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bank — of a river
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. ball — a great time
  11. bat — the animal
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. vault — a safe
  14. ball — a dance
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. bass — the fish
  17. press — newspapers
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. bass — low music
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. bank — for money
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. bulb — of a plant

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