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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 124 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
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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: last · spring · vault · pit · press · hand · mate · mouse

  1. False peace will not ________________.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  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. last — to go on
  2. press — newspapers
  3. mate — to breed
  4. spring — of water
  5. spring — a coil
  6. mate — a friend
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. hand — in cards
  9. last — finally
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. press — a publisher
  12. spring — the season
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. press — to push
  15. pit — in a race
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. pit — a hole
  18. vault — a safe
  19. mate — a partner
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. hand — help
  22. last — final
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  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