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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 · board · file · rule · vault · foot · suit · bat

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. board — a committee
  4. press — to push
  5. suit — clothes
  6. file — a document
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. file — a line of people
  9. vault — a safe
  10. suit — in cards
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. rule — a law
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. board — to get on
  16. suit — to fit
  17. press — newspapers
  18. foot — a measure
  19. rule — government
  20. press — a publisher
  21. bat — the animal
  22. file — a tool
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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