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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: mine · press · tube · vault · key · trunk · rush · track

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. key — in music
  3. press — to push
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. mine — for digging
  6. vault — a safe
  7. rush — hurry
  8. press — newspapers
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. track — a path
  12. tube — the underground
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. track — to keep track
  17. press — a publisher
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. tube — a container
  20. key — for a lock
  21. track — a song
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. key — the most important part

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