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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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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: press · vault · object · calf · nail · firm · chair · current

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  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. current — of water
  2. vault — a safe
  3. current — electric
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. firm — decided
  7. current — happening now
  8. chair — a leader
  9. press — newspapers
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. press — to push
  12. object — an aim
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. object — a thing
  17. firm — a company
  18. press — a publisher
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. object — to protest
  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