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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 120 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: mine · vault · band · charge · press · swing · ruler · object

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. press — to push
  5. swing — music
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. mine — for digging
  10. charge — electricity
  11. charge — a price
  12. band — a music group
  13. charge — in control
  14. press — a publisher
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. object — an aim
  18. swing — to play on
  19. vault — a safe
  20. press — newspapers
  21. object — to protest
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. band — a ring
  24. swing — in golf

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