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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. press — newspapers
  4. lean — thin
  5. lean — to bend
  6. bank — for money
  7. bank — of a river
  8. vault — a safe
  9. bank — for money
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. bat — the animal
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. press — a publisher
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. can — a tin
  19. press — to push
  20. can — to be able to
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. can — a tin
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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