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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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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: club · trunk · lean · fine · press · rest · wind · vault

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. vault — a safe
  3. rest — a break
  4. fine — all right
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. club — a group
  8. wind — moving air
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. club — for golf
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. lean — thin
  17. press — to push
  18. wind — moving air
  19. press — a publisher
  20. rest — what's left
  21. lean — to bend
  22. fine — high quality
  23. club — for dancing
  24. rest — what's left

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