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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: mine · press · net · face · row · saw · vault · fall

  1. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. press — newspapers
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. row — to paddle
  5. fall — the season
  6. face — to point toward
  7. vault — a safe
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. fall — to drop
  10. fall — to drop
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. face — to confront
  13. net — for catching
  14. saw — the tool
  15. net — in sport
  16. row — a line
  17. saw — the tool
  18. press — a publisher
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. face — part of the head
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. press — to push
  24. net — after costs

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