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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: mug · press · firm · bound · foot · degree · court · vault

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. bound — tied together
  6. degree — an amount
  7. mug — to rob
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. degree — from a university
  10. firm — decided
  11. press — to push
  12. press — newspapers
  13. mug — a face
  14. bound — certain
  15. bound — obliged
  16. vault — a safe
  17. degree — temperature
  18. court — of a king
  19. mug — a cup
  20. foot — a measure
  21. court — of law
  22. court — for sport
  23. press — a publisher
  24. firm — steady

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