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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: vault · rock · press · can · jam · lean · firm · kid

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. press — a publisher
  4. kid — child
  5. press — to push
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. firm — a company
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. firm — steady
  12. lean — thin
  13. kid — to tease
  14. can — to be able to
  15. vault — a safe
  16. can — a tin
  17. rock — a stone
  18. rock — music
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. press — newspapers
  21. can — a tin
  22. lean — to bend
  23. firm — decided
  24. jam — a tight spot

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