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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: ruler · press · stand · vault · degree · mark

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. degree — temperature
  3. vault — a safe
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. press — newspapers
  6. mark — a trace
  7. press — a publisher
  8. degree — an amount
  9. mark — a grade
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. press — to push
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. stand — to bear
  17. degree — from a university
  18. stand — on your feet

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