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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bay · saw · track · press · spring · tube · vault · pitcher

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. press — newspapers
  3. track — to keep track
  4. press — to push
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. vault — a safe
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. spring — the season
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. spring — of water
  13. track — a song
  14. track — a path
  15. saw — the tool
  16. spring — a coil
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. press — a publisher
  20. saw — the tool
  21. tube — a container
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. tube — in a tire

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