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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: rule · press · leaves · ground · cue · lash · vault · mine

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. press — to push
  3. mine — for digging
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. vault — a safe
  7. cue — a signal
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. cue — a hint
  10. ground — a position
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. press — a publisher
  14. rule — a law
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. press — newspapers
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. cue — for pool
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. ground — crushed
  24. rule — government

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