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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: field · vault · bay · press · key · face · row · club

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. face — to confront
  3. club — for dancing
  4. row — to paddle
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. key — for a lock
  7. press — a publisher
  8. row — a line
  9. field — a subject
  10. club — for golf
  11. key — in music
  12. club — a group
  13. face — to point toward
  14. press — to push
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. face — part of the head
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. field — farmland
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. field — for sport
  21. vault — a safe
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. key — the most important part

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