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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: can · mine · press · mug · bulb · pitch · shower · vault

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. can — a tin
  3. vault — a safe
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. press — a publisher
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. press — to push
  9. bulb — for light
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. mug — to rob
  12. mug — a face
  13. shower — rain
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. mine — for digging
  16. can — to be able to
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. bulb — for light
  19. can — a tin
  20. press — newspapers
  21. shower — to wash
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. mug — a cup
  24. bulb — of a plant

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