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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.

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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: prune · vault · mug · foot · press · trunk · pop · cabinet

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. prune — to trim
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. prune — to trim
  9. mug — to rob
  10. pop — soda
  11. mug — a cup
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. press — a publisher
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. mug — a face
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. foot — a measure
  20. pop — music
  21. press — newspapers
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. vault — a safe
  24. press — to push

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