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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: press · file · vault · shower · chest · spell · root · rush

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. vault — a safe
  3. chest — a box
  4. rush — hurry
  5. spell — letters
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. press — newspapers
  8. root — of a plant
  9. spell — a short time
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. file — a tool
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. shower — to wash
  14. chest — of your body
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. shower — rain
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. press — to push
  19. root — of a word
  20. spell — magic
  21. chest — of your body
  22. press — a publisher
  23. file — a line of people
  24. file — a document

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