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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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. press — a publisher
  3. bulb — for light
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. court — of law
  7. court — for sport
  8. bank — for money
  9. court — of a king
  10. bank — of a river
  11. bass — the fish
  12. vault — a safe
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. press — newspapers
  16. bass — low music
  17. last — finally
  18. bank — for money
  19. rash — hasty
  20. rash — a series
  21. last — final
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. last — to go on
  24. bulb — for light

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