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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 · club · rest · jam · stick · pass · ball · vault

  1. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. ball — a dance
  3. press — newspapers
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. club — a group
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. rest — what's left
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. pass — a permit
  12. rest — a break
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. press — to push
  18. press — a publisher
  19. vault — a safe
  20. rest — what's left
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. ball — a great time
  23. club — for golf
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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