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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.

Make a worksheet

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: court · vault · press · foot · hide · mine · key · bay

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. press — a publisher
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. press — newspapers
  6. key — the most important part
  7. court — of law
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. press — to push
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. mine — for digging
  12. key — for a lock
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. court — of a king
  17. court — for sport
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. vault — a safe
  20. key — in music
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. hide — to keep secret

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