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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: press · club · snap · vault · drill · calf · ruler · pop

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. snap — to click
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. drill — army training
  6. press — a publisher
  7. club — for golf
  8. drill — the tool
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. press — newspapers
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. press — to push
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. pop — soda
  15. drill — a practice
  16. vault — a safe
  17. club — a group
  18. club — for dancing
  19. pop — music
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. pop — to visit

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