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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: vault · stem · pop · fine · bass · rule · scale · press

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. fine — high quality
  4. stem — to come from
  5. rule — a law
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. pop — music
  8. scale — size or range
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. bass — the fish
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. bass — low music
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. pop — to visit
  18. rule — government
  19. press — to push
  20. scale — in music
  21. press — newspapers
  22. pop — soda
  23. press — a publisher
  24. vault — a safe

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