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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: court · field · press · bank · vault · ruler · clip · rock

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. rock — music
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. rock — a stone
  6. court — of law
  7. court — for sport
  8. clip — for paper
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. field — for sport
  12. field — farmland
  13. press — to push
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. clip — a video
  16. clip — to cut
  17. bank — of a river
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. court — of a king
  20. bank — for money
  21. press — a publisher
  22. press — newspapers
  23. field — a subject
  24. vault — a safe

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