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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: saw · temple · stick · vault · cue · press · charge · mine

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. charge — in control
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. vault — a safe
  8. press — to push
  9. mine — for digging
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. press — newspapers
  12. saw — the tool
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. charge — a price
  15. press — a publisher
  16. cue — for pool
  17. cue — a hint
  18. charge — electricity
  19. saw — the tool
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. cue — a signal
  24. temple — side of the head

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