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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.

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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: swing · bound · court · fork · pitcher · press · vault · ruler

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. court — for sport
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. court — of law
  5. bound — obliged
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. press — to push
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. vault — a safe
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. swing — music
  14. fork — in a road
  15. court — of a king
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. press — newspapers
  18. bound — certain
  19. swing — in golf
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. bound — tied together
  22. press — a publisher
  23. swing — to play on
  24. pitcher — a jug

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