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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
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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: temple · scale · rock · vault · board · press · shower · clip

  1. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — for paper
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. rock — music
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. press — a publisher
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. board — a committee
  10. board — to get on
  11. shower — rain
  12. press — to push
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. clip — to cut
  15. rock — a stone
  16. shower — to wash
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. press — newspapers
  19. clip — a video
  20. scale — in music
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. vault — a safe
  23. scale — size or range
  24. rock — to move gently

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