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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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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: swing · vault · hand · press · cabinet · drill · craft · bear

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. press — a publisher
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. drill — army training
  5. hand — help
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. hand — in cards
  8. swing — to play on
  9. swing — music
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. press — newspapers
  12. swing — in golf
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. bear — the animal
  17. vault — a safe
  18. bear — the animal
  19. press — to push
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. craft — boats
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. craft — a skill
  24. drill — the tool

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