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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: vault · board · bay · press · content · bowl

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. content — the amount
  5. press — to push
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. board — to get on
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. content — happy
  12. press — newspapers
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. board — a committee
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. vault — a safe
  17. press — a publisher
  18. vault — in gymnastics

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