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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: bay · vault · rash · press · trunk · pitcher · bowl · firm

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. vault — a safe
  4. firm — steady
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. rash — hasty
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. firm — a company
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. press — a publisher
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. press — to push
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. press — newspapers
  22. rash — a series
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. firm — decided

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