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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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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: trunk · perch · patient · press · pit · snap · dip · vault

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. press — newspapers
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. snap — to click
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. perch — the fish
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. pit — in a race
  19. dip — to sink
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. press — a publisher
  22. pit — a hole
  23. perch — for a bird
  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