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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: press · rush · mug · vault · foot · mouse · bat · bulb

  1. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. mug — a face
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. press — a publisher
  5. press — newspapers
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bulb — for light
  8. mug — a cup
  9. vault — a safe
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. foot — a measure
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. press — to push
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. mug — to rob
  21. rush — hurry
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. rush — a thrill

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