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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
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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: cell · pitcher · press · root · bat · bass · drill · vault

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. drill — a practice
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. bass — low music
  6. vault — a safe
  7. root — the cause
  8. press — a publisher
  9. drill — army training
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. root — of a plant
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. bat — the animal
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. bass — the fish
  17. cell — a phone
  18. press — to push
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. drill — the tool
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. root — of a word
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. press — newspapers

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