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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: arm · pitch · bound · leaves · foot · press · present · vault

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. present — a gift
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. bound — tied together
  7. bound — certain
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. vault — a safe
  10. bound — obliged
  11. foot — a measure
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. present — there
  18. present — the time now
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. press — to push
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. press — newspapers
  24. press — a publisher

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