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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.

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: season · hide · vault · snap · bulb · game · stand · press

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. press — to push
  5. vault — a safe
  6. press — a publisher
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. game — wild animals
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. stand — to bear
  12. snap — to click
  13. season — in sport
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. season — of the year
  16. bulb — for light
  17. press — newspapers
  18. game — a match
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. bulb — for light
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. stand — on your feet

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