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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: trunk · vault · wax · file · suit · press · kick · tube

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  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. trunk — of an elephant
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. press — a publisher
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. press — to push
  7. file — a line of people
  8. tube — the underground
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. file — a tool
  11. press — newspapers
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. suit — to fit
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. wax — to grow
  17. vault — a safe
  18. suit — clothes
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. suit — in cards
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. tube — a container
  23. kick — in football
  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