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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: capital · mug · bear · press · vault · court

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. press — a publisher
  3. vault — a safe
  4. press — newspapers
  5. court — for sport
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. court — of a king
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. mug — a cup
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. capital — money
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. bear — the animal
  14. capital — a city
  15. press — to push
  16. bear — the animal
  17. mug — a face
  18. court — of law

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