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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: cabinet · press · vault · pop · chest · file · pitcher · current

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. vault — a safe
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. file — a document
  5. file — a tool
  6. current — happening now
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. pop — to visit
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. chest — of your body
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. pop — soda
  13. press — a publisher
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. press — newspapers
  17. file — a line of people
  18. current — of water
  19. chest — of your body
  20. chest — a box
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. current — electric
  23. press — to push
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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