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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.

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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: charge · drill · wave · ground · vault · spell · bay · press

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. spell — letters
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. drill — the tool
  7. spell — a short time
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. ground — a position
  10. vault — a safe
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. drill — a practice
  15. press — newspapers
  16. charge — electricity
  17. charge — a price
  18. ground — crushed
  19. press — to push
  20. charge — in control
  21. drill — army training
  22. spell — magic
  23. ground — the earth
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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