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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.

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: tube · ball · press · stem · bat · band · firm · vault

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. ball — a dance
  3. press — newspapers
  4. band — a ring
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. stem — to come from
  7. ball — a great time
  8. bat — the animal
  9. vault — a safe
  10. firm — steady
  11. press — to push
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. band — a music group
  14. firm — a company
  15. tube — the underground
  16. tube — a container
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. press — a publisher
  22. firm — decided
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. band — a rubber band

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