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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 116 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: fall · vault · current · spring · season · bear · hand · press

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. press — to push
  3. press — newspapers
  4. vault — a safe
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. spring — a coil
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. current — of water
  9. fall — to drop
  10. season — in sport
  11. season — of the year
  12. spring — the season
  13. fall — the season
  14. bear — the animal
  15. press — a publisher
  16. spring — of water
  17. current — happening now
  18. fall — to drop
  19. hand — help
  20. current — electric
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. hand — in cards

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