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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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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: press · object · suit · pound · foot · vault · capital · saw

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. capital — money
  6. object — to protest
  7. object — an aim
  8. suit — clothes
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. suit — to fit
  11. object — a thing
  12. foot — a measure
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. press — to push
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. capital — a city
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. press — newspapers
  19. saw — the tool
  20. pound — a weight
  21. saw — the tool
  22. press — a publisher
  23. vault — a safe
  24. suit — in cards

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