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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 116 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: bore · staff · rash · club · vault · object · press · wind

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. press — newspapers
  4. club — for dancing
  5. vault — a safe
  6. object — an aim
  7. press — a publisher
  8. staff — employees
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. club — a group
  11. staff — employees
  12. rash — hasty
  13. object — a thing
  14. wind — moving air
  15. rash — a series
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. wind — moving air
  18. club — for golf
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. press — to push
  21. bore — to tire
  22. staff — a stick
  23. object — to protest
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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