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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: calf · vault · wave · press · rest · scale

  1. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. vault — a safe
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. scale — in music
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. rest — what's left
  10. press — a publisher
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. press — newspapers
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. rest — what's left
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. rest — a break
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. scale — size or range

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