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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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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: lash · bear · press · bound · vault · firm · ball · fall

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. bear — the animal
  4. fall — to drop
  5. press — to push
  6. fall — the season
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. fall — to drop
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. press — newspapers
  11. bound — certain
  12. vault — a safe
  13. ball — a dance
  14. bear — the animal
  15. firm — steady
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. bound — tied together
  18. press — a publisher
  19. ball — a great time
  20. firm — a company
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. bound — obliged
  23. firm — decided
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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