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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: vault · band · can · firm · squash · tube · bear · track

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. 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. squash — to crush
  2. band — a music group
  3. tube — the underground
  4. band — a ring
  5. can — a tin
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. firm — decided
  10. track — a song
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. vault — a safe
  13. firm — steady
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. track — to keep track
  16. tube — a container
  17. can — a tin
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. can — to be able to
  20. firm — a company
  21. track — a path
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. bear — the animal
  24. 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