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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: fall · rock · pound · vault · date · press

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. fall — the season
  3. pound — a weight
  4. fall — to drop
  5. date — the fruit
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. press — to push
  8. press — a publisher
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. rock — a stone
  12. rock — music
  13. press — newspapers
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. vault — a safe
  16. fall — to drop
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. pound — to hit hard

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