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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: vault · rush · lean · face · press · content · jam · bore

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. face — to point toward
  3. press — to push
  4. press — newspapers
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. bore — to tire
  7. face — to confront
  8. content — the amount
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. lean — thin
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. lean — to bend
  15. face — part of the head
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. rush — hurry
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. bore — to drill
  21. content — happy
  22. press — a publisher
  23. vault — a safe
  24. jam — in traffic

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