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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 120 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: bulb · mark · tear · rock · vault · press

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bulb — for light
  3. vault — a safe
  4. mark — a trace
  5. tear — from crying
  6. mark — a grade
  7. tear — from crying
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. press — to push
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. tear — to rip
  12. press — a publisher
  13. press — newspapers
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. rock — a stone
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. rock — music

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