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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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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: ruler · deal · last · vault · press · spring

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. deal — to handle
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. spring — of water
  7. last — to go on
  8. vault — a safe
  9. press — a publisher
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. last — final
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. press — newspapers
  14. spring — a coil
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. press — to push
  17. spring — the season
  18. last — finally

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