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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: press · ball · fork · swing · vault · mouse

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. 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 — a safe
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. fork — in a road
  5. ball — a dance
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. swing — music
  8. press — newspapers
  9. press — a publisher
  10. ball — a great time
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. swing — to play on
  13. press — to push
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. swing — in golf
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. 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