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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
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 · pop · bore · mug · current · stick · dip · vault

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. vault — a safe
  5. mug — to rob
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. bore — to tire
  8. dip — to sink
  9. pop — music
  10. press — to push
  11. current — of water
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. current — electric
  15. pop — soda
  16. bore — to drill
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. press — a publisher
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. press — newspapers
  21. mug — a cup
  22. current — happening now
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. mug — a face

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