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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: chest · deal · nail · pop · calf · rash · press · vault

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. chest — of your body
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. press — to push
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. rash — hasty
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. pop — to visit
  12. press — newspapers
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. rash — a series
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. press — a publisher
  18. pop — music
  19. vault — a safe
  20. deal — to handle
  21. chest — a box
  22. pop — soda
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. chest — of your body

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