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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: charge · bound · vault · bear · season · press · net · bulb

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. press — a publisher
  3. net — after costs
  4. season — of the year
  5. season — in sport
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. net — in sport
  8. press — newspapers
  9. press — to push
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. charge — in control
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bulb — for light
  15. vault — a safe
  16. bound — certain
  17. charge — a price
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. bound — obliged
  20. charge — electricity
  21. bear — the animal
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. bound — tied together
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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