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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: press · object · suit · pound · foot · vault

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. object — a thing
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. press — a publisher
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. foot — a measure
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. press — to push
  9. suit — to fit
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. suit — clothes
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. vault — a safe
  14. suit — in cards
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. press — newspapers
  17. pound — a weight
  18. object — to protest

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