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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: suit · press · shower · bowl · cap · last · content · vault

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. shower — to wash
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. suit — to fit
  6. vault — a safe
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. last — to go on
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. suit — clothes
  13. cap — a lid
  14. shower — rain
  15. press — a publisher
  16. suit — in cards
  17. press — to push
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. last — final
  20. content — happy
  21. cap — a hat
  22. cap — of ice
  23. last — finally
  24. content — the amount

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