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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: press · vault · wake · last · foot · rock · ground · prune

  1. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. wake — a trail
  3. press — newspapers
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. ground — a position
  7. rock — music
  8. last — to go on
  9. ground — crushed
  10. prune — to trim
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. foot — a measure
  13. last — finally
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. press — a publisher
  17. rock — a stone
  18. ground — the earth
  19. prune — to trim
  20. last — final
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. vault — a safe
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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