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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: squash · temple · vault · stand · plane · season · press · swing

  1. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. swing — in golf
  3. press — to push
  4. season — of the year
  5. swing — to play on
  6. season — in sport
  7. press — newspapers
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. squash — the sport
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. press — a publisher
  12. vault — a safe
  13. swing — music
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. plane — a tool
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. squash — to crush
  23. stand — to bear
  24. temple — a place of worship

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