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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: foot · vault · pit · press · date · swing

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. swing — music
  4. vault — a safe
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. press — a publisher
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. press — to push
  9. swing — to play on
  10. press — newspapers
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. swing — in golf
  13. pit — a hole
  14. foot — a measure
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. date — the fruit
  18. pit — in a race

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