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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. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. press — to push
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. march — the month
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. press — a publisher
  8. march — the month
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. bank — of a river
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. cell — in biology
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. press — newspapers
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. season — of the year
  17. present — a gift
  18. vault — a safe
  19. bank — for money
  20. present — there
  21. bank — for money
  22. march — music
  23. present — the time now
  24. season — in sport

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