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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
468
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: press · present · fan · game · suit · vault · track · chair

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. chair — a leader
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. game — wild animals
  5. press — a publisher
  6. track — a path
  7. game — a match
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. present — the time now
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. press — to push
  15. suit — to fit
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. press — newspapers
  18. present — a gift
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. present — there
  21. suit — in cards
  22. suit — clothes
  23. vault — a safe
  24. track — to keep track

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