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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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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: vault · land · ball · wound · press · pop · suit · mate

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. press — newspapers
  3. mate — a partner
  4. vault — a safe
  5. suit — clothes
  6. land — to come down
  7. ball — a great time
  8. mate — a friend
  9. pop — to visit
  10. wound — an injury
  11. mate — to breed
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. press — a publisher
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. land — ground
  17. land — a country
  18. ball — a dance
  19. pop — music
  20. suit — to fit
  21. press — to push
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. wound — an injury
  24. pop — soda

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