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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: straw · stem · court · mate · fan · bulb · press · vault

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. vault — a safe
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. stem — to come from
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. mate — a partner
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. court — of a king
  12. mate — to breed
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bulb — for light
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. press — a publisher
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. press — to push
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. court — of law
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. mate — a friend
  24. court — for sport

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