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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: hide · last · track · vault · mug · rest · press · staff

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. last — to go on
  3. track — a song
  4. mug — to rob
  5. last — finally
  6. track — to keep track
  7. staff — employees
  8. rest — what's left
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. mug — a cup
  12. press — to push
  13. track — a path
  14. staff — employees
  15. vault — a safe
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. mug — a face
  19. rest — a break
  20. press — a publisher
  21. press — newspapers
  22. last — final
  23. staff — a stick
  24. rest — what's left

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