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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: fine · wound · trunk · stand · bulb · press · toast · vault

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. press — to push
  3. press — a publisher
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. vault — a safe
  7. wound — an injury
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. wound — an injury
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. bulb — for light
  12. press — newspapers
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. stand — to bear
  17. toast — bread
  18. fine — high quality
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. fine — all right

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