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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: cabinet · mug · press · net · bowl · scale · vault · leaves

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. scale — size or range
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. press — a publisher
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. press — to push
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. net — after costs
  10. mug — a face
  11. press — newspapers
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. net — in sport
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. vault — a safe
  20. scale — in music
  21. net — for catching
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. mug — to rob

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