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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.

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: pop · vault · arm · rock · degree · pitcher · press · face

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. degree — an amount
  3. press — newspapers
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. press — a publisher
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. pop — soda
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. press — to push
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. vault — a safe
  14. pop — music
  15. face — to point toward
  16. face — part of the head
  17. rock — music
  18. degree — from a university
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. pop — to visit
  21. rock — a stone
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. degree — temperature
  24. face — to confront

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