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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: racket · press · nail · shower · vault · branch · charge · ruler

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. charge — in control
  4. vault — a safe
  5. press — a publisher
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. press — to push
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. shower — rain
  10. shower — to wash
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. charge — electricity
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. charge — a price
  16. branch — a division
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. press — newspapers
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. branch — of a tree

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