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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: bat · lean · current · pass · press · kick · vault · scale

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. lean — to bend
  4. scale — in music
  5. current — of water
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. press — to push
  9. vault — a safe
  10. current — electric
  11. current — happening now
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. pass — a permit
  14. press — a publisher
  15. bat — the animal
  16. scale — size or range
  17. press — newspapers
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. lean — thin
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. kick — in football
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. pass — to succeed

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