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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: press · spell · scale · toast · rock · clip · firm · vault

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. firm — steady
  4. clip — to cut
  5. spell — magic
  6. press — a publisher
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. rock — music
  9. press — to push
  10. toast — bread
  11. clip — for paper
  12. scale — size or range
  13. firm — decided
  14. clip — a video
  15. spell — a short time
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. vault — a safe
  19. rock — a stone
  20. press — newspapers
  21. firm — a company
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. spell — letters

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