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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: staff · vault · content · leaves · press · march · calf · ball

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. content — the amount
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. march — the month
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. staff — a stick
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. march — music
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. press — a publisher
  14. staff — employees
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. ball — a dance
  17. content — happy
  18. staff — employees
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. press — newspapers
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. vault — a safe
  23. ball — a great time
  24. press — to push

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