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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
468
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: drill · press · racket · pitcher · vault · leaves · mouse · pop

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. pop — soda
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. pop — music
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. press — to push
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. press — a publisher
  13. drill — a practice
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. drill — army training
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. drill — the tool
  19. press — newspapers
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. vault — a safe
  24. leaves — 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