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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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Word bank
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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: press · bowl · stem · vault · wave · snap

  1. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. vault — a safe
  4. press — a publisher
  5. press — newspapers
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. snap — to click
  9. stem — to come from
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. snap — to speak sharply

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