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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: toast · cabinet · vault · club · deal · press

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. club — a group
  4. vault — a safe
  5. club — for golf
  6. deal — to handle
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. press — to push
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. press — a publisher
  15. press — newspapers
  16. toast — bread
  17. club — for dancing
  18. cabinet — ministers

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