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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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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: vault · file · press · present · lie · wound · pitch · suit

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. file — a line of people
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. pitch — completely
  6. present — there
  7. present — the time now
  8. wound — an injury
  9. press — to push
  10. suit — to fit
  11. suit — clothes
  12. wound — an injury
  13. file — a tool
  14. vault — a safe
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. present — a gift
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. press — newspapers
  22. suit — in cards
  23. lie — to recline
  24. file — a document

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