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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: bore · lie · season · cell · spell · press · bulb · vault

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. press — newspapers
  5. cell — a phone
  6. spell — magic
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. bulb — for light
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. vault — a safe
  11. press — a publisher
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. cell — in biology
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bore — to drill
  16. spell — letters
  17. bore — to tire
  18. lie — to recline
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. spell — a short time
  21. season — of the year
  22. season — in sport
  23. press — to push
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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