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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: bear · rock · rush · present · press · tube · vault · drill

  1. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. present — there
  3. tube — the underground
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. vault — a safe
  9. press — to push
  10. rock — a stone
  11. tube — a container
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. drill — army training
  15. rock — music
  16. drill — the tool
  17. press — newspapers
  18. present — the time now
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. press — a publisher
  21. bear — the animal
  22. drill — a practice
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. present — a gift

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