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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.

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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: nail · racket · rush · vault · press · bear · club · ground

  1. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. bear — the animal
  3. press — to push
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. ground — the earth
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. press — newspapers
  11. vault — a safe
  12. club — a group
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. club — for golf
  17. rush — hurry
  18. press — a publisher
  19. ground — crushed
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. bear — the animal
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. ground — a position

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