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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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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 · race · track · squash · object · vault

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. object — an aim
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. press — to push
  5. track — a song
  6. object — a thing
  7. race — the arms race
  8. press — newspapers
  9. race — a contest
  10. squash — to crush
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. track — a path
  13. race — humankind
  14. press — a publisher
  15. object — to protest
  16. track — to keep track
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. squash — the sport

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