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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
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: bound · press · pit · vault · content · spring · mug · racket

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. press — a publisher
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. spring — the season
  5. content — the amount
  6. bound — certain
  7. content — happy
  8. spring — of water
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. pit — in a race
  11. spring — a coil
  12. vault — a safe
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. press — to push
  15. bound — obliged
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. mug — a face
  19. bound — tied together
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. press — newspapers
  22. mug — to rob
  23. pit — a hole
  24. racket — for tennis

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