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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: kick · press · rest · pitcher · stand · game · coach · vault

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. rest — what's left
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. rest — what's left
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. kick — in football
  12. stand — to bear
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. rest — a break
  15. vault — a safe
  16. press — newspapers
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. game — a match
  21. press — a publisher
  22. game — wild animals
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  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